Rugby league: New Zealand Warriors' Jazz Tevaga divides legends after brain snap

A dejected-looking Jazz Tevaga. Photo / Photosport

The North Queensland Cowboys claimed a 29-28 win after a stunning match against the New Zealand Warriors, after being aided by the first sin bin of the weekend.

After leading 22-6 at the break, the Warriors hit back, but the sides drew level with four minutes remaining, until Valentine Holmes iced the game with a field goal.

But the grandstand finish was set up in the first half as the Cowboys took full advantage of a Warriors sin bin.

The Warriors led 10-6 when in the 31st minute, Warriors hardman Jazz Tevaga put a late hit on Cowboys rookie Heilum Luki.

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Luki, who capped his debut with a try last week, caught the ball and ran to the line, passing the ball before he was hit by Tevaga.

While in the past it would have been innocuous, maybe leading to a penalty at most, in the NRL's new crackdown era, referee Matt Checchin felt he had no choice but to send Tevaga to the bin.

"You haven't been able to do that for a long time, forget about the crackdown in the last few weeks," Warren Smith said in Fox League commentary. It'll be a real no-brainer."

Smith called it a "crazy late tackle".

Checchin on advice from the Bunker said there was a whiplash action as he sent Tevaga from the field.

It was the first sin bin of the weekend so far.

A dejected-looking Jazz Tevaga. Photo / Photosport

But at halftime, rugby league legends Greg Alexander and Gorden Tallis were at odds over whether it was worth the 10 in the bin.

While Alexander said "it was late" and probably got what was expected after the Roosters' Angus Crichton was suspended and will miss Origin with a similar hit, Tallis said it was hardly worth the man advantage.

"(Angus Crichton) wasn't sent to the sin bin but was suspended – he copped two weeks for a shot not too dissimilar to that," Alexander said. "There wasn't much force in it, it didn't hurt the player with the ball, but it was late."

"You've got to hit him in the head haven't you?" Tallis said. "Before this crackdown, that's a penalty. I get that they're trying to get concussions out of the game, but isn't that just a penalty?"

Alexander responded: "I would think so."

Tallis: "That's not 10 minutes in the bin."

Alexander: "It is now."

Tallis: "It is today."

Alexander: "We're dealing with what's happening."

Corey Parker interjected saying Tevaga knew he was walking a fine line.

Alexander replied: "There was nothing in it but he shouldn't have done it. It's easy not to do that."

Tallis: "You've got to have toughness some time in the game Brandy."

The Cowboys took full advantage of the extra man advantage, scoring twice before halftime to blow the lead out to 22-6.

But the Warriors, led by 18-year-old wunderkind Reece Walsh, bounced back quickly in the second half, making it 22-18 within 10 minutes of the restart of the game.

Walsh scored an 88m try in the 47th minute, before setting up another as the Warriors hit back to lead 28-22.

That was until Cowboys teen flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored in the 75th minute to bring the sides level.

A missed field goal for the Warriors also proved costly as Valentine Holmes kicked a booming field goal from just under 40m out to claim the 29-28 victory for the Cowboys.