Legend shocked by 'soft' call as Warrior suspended

By Lachlan Harper and Emily Patterson

UPDATED: Marata Niukore faces a lengthy stint connected the sidelines for a precocious changeable connected Moses Suli successful the Warriors' 48-18 triumph implicit the Dragons.

On Saturday morning, the NRL Match Review Committee offered Niukore a three-match prohibition for the incident, which ruled the Dragons centre retired for the remainder of the game.

The MRC deemed Niukore's tackle successful the 43rd infinitesimal to beryllium precocious and careless.

READ MORE: Aussie up-and-comer scores chart-busting century

READ MORE: Hunt confirms Dragons gathering arsenic Broncos quash rumours

READ MORE: Joey shuts down 'disrespectful' Blues coaching calls

In commentary, Andrew Johns expressed his daze astatine referee Adam Gee's determination to misdeed bin Niukore for the tackle.

Suli was deemed to beryllium suffering from class 1 symptoms during his caput wounded assessment, ending his night.

The Warriors' second-rower was fixed his marching orders successful the 42nd minute, with Shaun Johnson heard to beryllium screaming "no way" aft the decision.

NRL large Johns was besides shocked.

"Really? For that?," helium said connected Nine's coverage.

"In this situation, you're looking astatine it successful dilatory motion. If you look astatine it successful existent clip ... Niukore's footwork is determination and he's planted and acceptable to go, astatine the past infinitesimal Suli drops his assemblage presumption which past drops his caput into the shoulder."

Stream the NRL premiership 2023 unrecorded and escaped on 9Now

"In that divided second, it's intolerable for the defender to alteration the constituent of wherever he's going to tackle. It's a existent pugnacious one."

Minutes aft the incident, Johns was inactive fired up implicit the call.

"It was a brushed misdeed bin," helium said.

Speaking post-game, Cameron Smith agreed it was "difficult" for Niukore to alteration his positioning.

"It's wide precocious interaction but it's a hard one," helium said.

"It's been made wide to the players, they speech astir work of attraction to defenders, and showing work of attraction to the shot carriers but it's precise hard successful situations similar that erstwhile you've got a large antheral successful Moses Suli bringing the shot backmost similar that with precocious footwork."

The misdeed bin didn't beryllium excessively costly for the Warriors arsenic they continued to predominate the Dragons with Paul Gallen noting connected Nine's sum that the location fans walked retired precocious successful the game.

At half-time, the Warriors led 20-6 with tries to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya, Bayley Sironen and Jackson Ford.

Sloan burns Warriors defence

Post-game, Shaun Johnson revealed a "rocket" from manager Andrew Webster astatine half-time inspired the broadside to a ascendant 2nd half.

It wasn't disconnected to the top commencement erstwhile Niukore was sent from the tract with Zane Musgrove scoring 3 minutes later. 

Watene-Zelezniak had his 2nd portion the Warriors were down to 12 men and continued the rampage with Johnson and Rocco Berry besides going over. Watene-Zelezniak finished with 4 tries portion Francis Molo scored the different for the Dragons. 

NRL Highlights: Dragons v Warriors - Round 17

Throughout the game, Smith was highly complimentary of the Warriors arsenic they moved into the apical four.

"Nights similar contiguous erstwhile their onslaught clicks, they're arsenic unsafe arsenic immoderate squad successful the competition," helium said.

"Winning contiguous ... they tin determination temporarily into the apical four, they are the astir improved shot broadside successful this competition, by a state mile. I'm definite travel finals time, if they're there, whoever they travel up against volition beryllium precise nervous."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here! 

State of Origin II 2023 successful pictures: All the colour of the Blues v Maroons crippled two