Star Eels prop Junior Paulo will face a nervous wait from NRL Match Review Committee after he was controversially sin-binned for a high shot on AJ Brimson during Parramatta’s 26-20 win.
Paulo was issued marching orders late in the match from referee Peter Gough after Bunker intervention determined Paulo made direct contact to the head of Brimson with his shoulder.
It was a moment that left several former NRL players scratching their heads.
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Speaking on the incident after the game, Corey Parker said he thought it was a clean tackle from Paulo.
“I thought it was OK,” Parker said on Fox League.
“The fact that AJ Brimson got up holding his AC, there was direct contact to his shoulder. It’s a high-collision game, that is a big man on AJ Brimson who was going at speed.
Cooper Cronk added: “I don’t think it was a sin bin, it was a penalty if anything.”
Eels coach Brad Arthur said after the game Paulo’s effort was “a good tackle”.
“My job is to teach these players how to tackle, so what do I say to Junior? He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”
Paulo’s tackle wasn’t the only controversial moment to come out of the match, with the Titans raising eyebrows after exploiting a loophole on two occasions to exercise their captain’s challenge, deliberately giving away a penalty twice.
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