Origin star whacked in ugly sin bin incident

Rabbitohs centre Richie Kennar faces a nervous wait with the match review committee after he was sin binned for a high shot on Selwyn Cobbo.

Kennar was given his marching orders in the 30th minute with Broncos centre Cobbo leaving the field for an HIA.

Before referee Adam Gee’s decision, league legend Billy Slater was unsure it warranted a sin bin.

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“You can tell by his reaction he didn’t mean that … I don’t know if it’s the bin,” he said in commentary for Nine.

But then Kennar was called out of the line with Gee describing the shot as “direct and forceful” despite captain Cam Murray’s plea that it wasn’t the latter.

“That’s an invite for the Broncos, they’ll get good field position and be attacking the Rabbitohs’ line with only 12 men,” Slater said.

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The Rabbitohs held strong without Kennar on the field to keep an 18-0 lead at half-time.

Cobbo eventually returned to the field after passing his HIA.

Tries in the first half went to Damien Cook, Keaon Koloamatangi and Latrell Mitchell to leave the Broncos shellshocked in the opening stanza.

In the second half, South Sydney continued their dominance with Alex Johnston scoring to put him into second on the all-time tryscorers list.

The sin bins didn’t stop when Mitchell was sent for 10 in the 55th minute after running in to a melee. Jordan Riki was given the same punishment after he collected Cam Murray high off the ball, causing the blow up.

Eventually the Broncos would get their first points in the 66th minute with Deine Mariner going over in the corner.

Mariner went on to score again late but it wasn’t enough as the Rabbitohs won 22-12.