Andrew Johns has expressed his shock at referee Adam Gee's decision to sin bin Marata Niukore after a high shot on Moses Suli ruled the Dragons centre out for the rest of the game.
Suli was ruled to be suffering from category one symptoms during his head injury assessment, ending his night as the Warriors went on to win the game 48-18.
The Warriors second-rower was given his marching orders in the 42nd minute, with Shaun Johnson heard to be screaming "no way" after the decision.
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NRL great Andrew Johns was also shocked.
"Really? For that?," he said on Nine's coverage.
"In this situation you're looking at it in slow motion. If you look at it in real time … Niukore's footwork is there and he's planted and ready to go, at the last minute Suli drops his body position which then drops his head into the shoulder."
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"In that split second it's impossible for the defender to change the point of where he's going to tackle. It's a real tough one."
Minutes after the incident, Johns was still fired up over the call.
"It was a soft sin bin," he said.
Post-game Cameron Smith said it was "difficult" for Niukore to change his positioning.
"It's clear high contact but it's a difficult one," he said.
"It's been made clear to the players, they talk about duty of care to defenders, and showing duty of care to the ball carriers but it's very difficult in situations like that when you've got a big man in Moses Suli bringing the ball back like that with late footwork."
The sin bin didn't prove too costly for the Warriors, as they continued to dominate the Dragons with Paul Gallen noting on Nine's coverage that the home fans walked out late in the game.
At half-time, the Warriors led 20-6 with tries to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya, Bayley Sironen and Jackson Ford.
Post-game, Shaun Johnson revealed a "rocket" from coach Andrew Webster at half-time inspired the side to a dominant second half.
It wasn't off to the greatest start when Niukore was sent from the field and Zane Musgrove scoring three minutes later.
Watene-Zelezniak had his second while the Warriors were down to 12-men and continued the rampage with Johnson and Rocco Berry also going over. Watene-Zelezniak finished with four tries while Francis Molo scored the other for the Dragons.
Throughout the game, NRL great Cameron Smith was highly complimentary of the Warriors as they moved into the top four.
"Nights like tonight when their attack clicks, they're as dangerous as any team in the competition," he said.
"Winning tonight … they can move temporarily into the top four, they are the most improved football side in this competition, by a country mile. I'm sure come finals time, if they're there, whoever they come up against will be very nervous."
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