Justin Olam sent off for high shot on Heilum Luki, Nathan Hindmarsh says he ruined the game, Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys, video, reaction, referee

Wests Tigers centre Justin Olam faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after being sent off for a high kick on Cowboys second-rower Heilum Luki on Thursday night.

In what is becoming a worrying trend for Benji Marshall’s side, who have been no strangers to having players banned in 2024, Olam was the latest to be ordered to leave.

On this occasion, Olam deflected the ball towards Luki with a shot that the Bunker considered to be “highly powerful” and that hit “directly” in the head.

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Referee Chris Butler also added that Olam had “the whole body to aim for”.

The decision did not sit well with Tigers coach Benji Marshall and also divided opinions on the Late Show with Fletch.

Former NRL hard-liners Nate Myles and Brian Fletcher believed the sending off was justified, while Tigers legend Steve Roach and NRL great Nathan Hindmarsh firmly believed it was harsh.

“I don’t think it’s a goodbye. I think they ruined the game. I would have been happy with ten minutes,” Hindmarsh said.

“I don’t think it should have been a farewell. I think what made it worse was the whiplash. I think it hit him in the neck and I know that’s not allowed, but it shouldn’t have been a farewell,” Roach said.

Myles lifted his foot and Olam stopped punching to make contact with the much taller Luki.

“At first glance we thought it hit him in the sternum, but then you think of Heium Luki, who is 1.88m tall. Mylesy, you said you thought he jumped to get him,” Fletcher asked.

Myles responded: “I think any time you make contact above the chest, if one or two feet leave the ground, I think you’re in trouble.”

The Tigers were in the match at the point before Olam was sent off, trailing just 20-14, but quickly fell behind by four converted tries as the Cowboys took advantage of the one-man overlap.

Speaking on commentary for Fox League, Championship-winning scrum-half Cooper Cronk said it was “hard to argue” with the decision to part ways.

“Heilum Luki, a much bigger player than Justin Olam, had multiple opportunities to tackle Luki in different spots and it wasn’t like he hit him softly, he hit him very hard with that right shoulder right on the chin,” Cronk said.

“You can’t argue with that.”

However, there were some differing opinions in the NRL world, with Daily Telegraph journalist Dean Ritchie backing the decision, while former Panthers forward Mark Geyer was unimpressed.