NRL referee Peter Gough stunned onlookers by opting against sin-binning anyone following an all-in fight between the Dragons and the Titans on Sunday.
Gold Coast skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was at the centre of the first-half melee which ignited from a scrap on the ground between him and St George Illawarra young gun Tyrell Sloan.
Dragons enforcer Jaydn Su’a came running in to take out Fa’asuamaleaui, before Titans forward Erin Clark appeared to throw a punch – but nobody was binned.
The decision to keep everyone on the field was particularly unexpected given Francis Molo had been binned earlier in the half for a high shot and Fa’asuamaleaui was warned for running in.
The Dragons were returning a kick in the 32nd minute when Shane Flanagan interrupted his Fox League co-commentator Warren Smith to announce “there’s a fight on in back play”.
“It has erupted. We’ll be missing one or two players here, I don’t know what happened to spark that off but there’s a bit to go over,” Smith responded.
“It’s Tino on the ground with Tyrell Sloan, Su’a came in and he’ll be missing for 10 minutes and so too will be Erin Clark, you would think for lashing out at the Dragons.”
“Well I think originally the Dragons were complaining that there was two in the tackle and there was a strip, but then something goes on, on the ground, and Erin Clark there… that’s striking,” Flanagan said.