‘Gobsmacked’ Payten rips Bunker as Holmes learns fate

He’ll get an extra week if he fights the charge at the judiciary and loses.

Papali’i was surging to the line late in the first half when he was brought down by Holmes and Cowboys teammate Tom Dearden.

The weight of both Dearden and Holmes came down on Papali’i’s ankle, which immediately who would play no further part in his side’s 42-28 loss in Townsville. Cameras later caught him on the side line in a moon boot.

Holmes was put on report and sent to the sin bin after intervention by the Bunker, while Klemmer was allowed to stay on the park.

It should be noted the weightings of the two charges would also have been a consideration of the MRC. Holmes charge was a second offence, while Klemmer’s a third and subsequent.

That Holmes was sent to the bin and Klemmer wasn’t incensed Cowboys coach Todd Payten.

“The (Holmes) sin bin turned the game on its head and we were on the back foot for the next 15-20 minutes,” Payten said.

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“It wasn’t a hip-drop for a start. I am gobsmacked by the interference of the Bunker in that situation.

“I don’t know what a rugby league player is supposed to do when they are going for a try and he lunges at their legs… he’s going to land on their legs.

“I’ve got no doubt where he’s going to land but it’s not a hip-drop.

“Our game has tried to stamp out the hip-drop, where there are two guys standing in a tackle, they lose their legs and land on the [oppositions] legs.”

Payten said Klemmer’s was a “textbook” hip-drop.

“And nothing happened. The Bunker has every right to interfere then and get the call right,” he said.

“The inconsistency annoys the crap out of me, the players, members and fans of the game.

“Every time it goes into a bunker situation I get nervous, really nervous… and I’m sure the players feel the same. 

“A sin-bin changes the complex in the game and it’s so hard to wrestle back momentum. I know teams can do it, but you burn a lot of juice. If it happens early in the game it will catch up with you in the backend.

“If you concede two tries in that period, the game is pretty well gone. With all the camera angles they can’t be getting that wrong, amongst other calls as well.

“It’s so frustrating. The bunker and the sin-bin frustrated me.”

NRL legend Corey Parker said Dearden’s involvement in the tackle should work in Holmes’ favour.

“If Val doesn’t get checked or hit by Tom, he doesn’t end up in that position – the unfortunate thing is he did,” he said on Fox Sports.

“The unfortunate thing also is Papali’i left the field with an injury.

“If he wasn’t checked in his tackle, as in if Dearden did not make contact with Val, I think it’s just a desperation tackle.”

Fellow panelist and former Blues hooker Mick Ennis said he didn’t believe Holmes would serve a ban.

“They crack down on the hip-drop the way they do because it can cause damage – it is a dangerous tackle,” he said.

“But this one, I feel there was no intent in it. If Dearden doesn’t hit him, it doesn’t have that sort of impact.

“I don’t think that he should see any time on the sideline, especially with Origin coming up.”

Holmes scored two second half tries after he returned from the bin.

Earlier, the Cowboys raced to a 20-0 lead in just the 16th minute courtesy of three tries – including a double to Kyle Feldt – and a penalty goal.

The Tigers scored two of their own to head into the break down 20-10, before a rejuvenated Cowboys blasted them off the park in the second half.

– With Alyssa Bone