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Brad Fittler slams 'ridiculous' sin binning for NSW centre Burton after scrap

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Coach Brad Fittler thinks Matt Burton’s sin-binning in the State of Origin decider was a “tad ridiculous” as NSW lick their wounds after the Maroons’ comeback win.

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Blues centre Burton and Queensland opposite Dane Gagai were both sin-binned as the Origin series decider descended into a throwback, fists flying in a second-half brawl.

Burton and Gagai were both given a spell by referee Ashley Klein in the 42nd minute after the Maroons made a snap break at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

As Queensland burst upfield, Burton collided with Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga after he had passed and was trying to catch up with the play.

Gagai took exception to the New South Welshman’s contact on Ponga and knocked him over before they squared up.

The pair both hesitated and then threw a flurry of punches at each other.

While most of Burton’s missed, Gagai found the NSW centre’s head repeatedly and he got up after the melee with a black eye and bleeding nose.

It was helped by Queensland teammate Tino Fa’asuamaleaui holding Burton back as Gagai laid into him, putting him into a headlock.

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Klein showed no tolerance for the violence and sent the pair to the sin bin, but spared Fa’asuamaleaui.

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The incident appeared to galvanise the hosts, who kicked on from 12-10 down to win 22-12.

“He didn’t initiate it, he’s not going to fight anyone,” Fittler said of Burton.

“He got belted, got the penalty, got in a headlock and we walk out with one player down each.

“Tad ridiculous, but it is what it is.”

Blues captain James Tedesco wondered why Fa’asuamaleaui wasn’t sin-binned, before Fittler shut down the topic.

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Origin games were once famed for descending into fighting but the NRL has taken a no-nonsense approach to on-field brawls.

Klein’s approach was consistent with Origin II, 2020, when Fa’asuamaleaui and Payne Haas were both binned for trading blows.

Both Newcastle’s Gagai and Bulldogs playmaker Burton are likely to face NRL suspension for their involvement in the fracas.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

I didn't really get the should tone from it, but maybe because I was just reading it as my own thoughts.


What I read it as was examples of how they played well enough in every game to be able to win it.


Yeah I dunno if Ben wouldn't see it that way (someone else would for sure need to point it out to him though), I'm more in the Ben not appreciating that those close losses werent one off scenarios camp. Sure you can look at dubious decisions causing them to have to play with 14 or 13 men at the death as viable reasons but even in the games they won without such difficulties they made a real struggle of it (compared to how good some of their first half play was). This kind of article where you trying to point out the 3 losses really would most likely have been wins only really makes sense/works when your other performances make those 3 games (or endings) stand out.


There might have been a sentence here and there to ensure some good comment numbers but when he's signing off the article by saying things like ..

Whilst these All Blacks aren’t blowing teams off the park like during the 2010s, they are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary.

and..

The other top sides in the world struggled to put them away. France and South Africa both could have well been defeated on home soil.

I don't really see it. Always making sure people are upto date with the SH standing/perspective! NZ went through some tough times with so many different perspectives and reasons why, but then it was.. amusing how.. behind everyone was once they turned a corner. More of these 'unfortunate' results returned against SA and France at the start of the RWC which made it extra tasty to catch other teams out when they did bring it. So that created some 'conscious' perspective that I just kept going and sharing re thoughts on similar predicaments of other teams, I had been really confident that Wallabies displays vs NZ were real, that the Argentines can backup their thing against Aus and SA (and so obviously the rest), and current one is that England are actually consistent and improving with their attack (which everyone should get onboard with), and I'm expecting a more dominant display against Japan (even though they should have more of their experienced internationals for this one) that highlights further growth from July. 👍

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