‘What a farce’: Fans, commentators rage over ugly ‘dog acts’

The Parramatta Eels have taken a 18-12 lead to the halftime break against the Sydney Roosters but a chaotic and ugly play in the shadow of the break has snatched left fans fuming.

The Eels led 18-10 with the Roosters already down two players after failed HIAs to Victor Radley and Matt Ikuvalu.

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But with less than a minute left, the Roosters went for a shortside play, skirting the sideline and seemingly putting Drew Hutchinson in for a try.

Ultimately it would be called back for a touch from Josh Morris but it was hardly the issue that had fans and commentators fuming.

As Tedesco snuck down the short side, he flattened by Eels centre Marata Niukore with a shoulder charge, while, Hutchinson was left flailing on the ground in agony as Dylan Brown slid in with his knees.

While there were clearly two issues in the play, the Bunker went back to the first indiscretion, with Niukore going on report for the shoulder charge on Tedesco.

The Niukore hit on Tedesco.Source:FOX SPORTS

“That’s very similar to the one that we saw at the SCG on ANZAC Day,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.

Shane Flanagan added: “That frustrates me because that could put a player like James Tedesco out of our game for a long time.”

“Is it 10 in the bin worthy?” Dan Ginnane asked. “Is it worth more?”

But Brown’s one appeared to get off scot-free, at least on the field.

“I don’t know how Dylan Brown is not on report for that?” Ennis said. “Have I missed something? Am I seeing something wrong? He's come in with his knees. Yes Niukore needed to be put on report for that high shot on Tedesco but surely Dylan Brown comes into question for those knees.”

Just after halftime, it was revealed that Brown was put on report.

The Brown knees on HutchisonSource:FOX SPORTS

At halftime, it was reported that Hutchinson was on oxygen from the paramedics before being taken to hospital with broken ribs and a suspected punctured lung.

But at halftime, Greg Alexander was baffled.

“Drew Hutchinson may not come back on the field and I don’t know how the Bunker or the on-field referee missed the knees in the back,” Alexander said.

“That should have been a reportable offence and the Roosters should have been able to replace Drew Hutchinson with the 18th man.”

While the commentators appeared to be baffled by the sequence, social media called for that to earn some time on the sideline.

Two dog acts by the Eels #NRLEelsRoosters

Two @TheParraEels players should be on report and in the bin #NRL#NRLEelsRoosters

How can a player use.his knees like @TheParraEels Dylan Brown did then and not be sin binned and put on report ??? @9_Moley@AdamHawse what a farce.. he never attempted a tackle .. went in knees first #NRL#NRLEelsRoosters

That last 30 seconds was a mess from the refs #nrl#NRLEelsRoosters

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