Rugby League: Warriors expect no further punishment for Chris Satae

Referee Grant Atkins sin bins Chris Satae of the Warriors and Andrew McCullough of the Broncos. Photo / Getty

The Warriors believe front-rower Chris Satae will escape further penalty after he and Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough were both sinbinned during yesterday's 26-6 NRL win at Suncorp Stadium.

Satae carted the ball up late in the first-half when his forearm appeared to make accidental contact with McCullough's throat, before the Queensland State of Origin No 9 reacted angrily by throwing three wild haymakers.

McCullough was fortunate not to be sent off for his attempted assault but match commentators and viewers were surprised when referee Grant Atkins chose to send both players for 10 minutes, with Brisbane awarded a penalty and Satae placed on report.

Warriors coach Stephen Kearney felt Satae was harshly treated after he kept his cool and didn't react as players from both sides rushed in following the incident.

"It's a bit of a tough one," said Kearney.

"I thought 'why doesn't Chris [just] get put on report'?

"I didn't think Chris needed to go to the bin but it is what it is. I don't think anyone has an explanation for some of the stuff nowadays.

"We're just fortunate we got the result."

The Warriors are confident Satae will have no case to answer with the NRL match review committee, having seen worse incidents go unpunished this season.

When asked if he felt Satae had anything to worry about, Kearney referenced the fact that Sydney Roosters firebrand Dylan Napa managed to escape suspension after a dangerous tackle left Brisbane forward Korbin Sims sidelined for six weeks.

"No, I don't think so. Not if Dylan Napa has nothing to answer for when he led with his head and broke someone's jaw," he said.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett suggested McCullough's uncharacteristic outburst came after he played just 33 minutes for the Maroons in their dead rubber victory over New South Wales last week.

"He's got a wonderful record with the way he plays the game," said Bennett.

"That's the frustration built up from last Wednesday night and still in the body. But at the end of the day he did get cleaned up, (a forearm) to his throat."

Kearney, who previously spent three years at Brisbane as an assistant to Bennett, remains close friends with McCullough, but joked about his attempts at sparring the much larger Satae.

"I don't know if you can call them punches," said Kearney.

"I just walked past him, I said 'Chris has got a big head, I don't know how you missed it but you did'."