NRL: Billy Slater stretchered off after copping a sickening head-high shot

Billy Slater of the Storm is taken from the field after a tackle by Iosia Soliola of the Raiders. Photo / Getty Images.

Fans were outraged as Canberra back-rower Iosia Soliola was allowed to stay on the field following a sickening high shot on Melbourne's Billy Slater.

Soliola collected Slater well after he passed the ball and while some suggested he wasn't entirely at fault because the Storm No. 1 slipped slightly, it was still high and it was still late.

Play was stopped for an extended period of time early in the second half as medical staff attended to the representative fullback, who lay motionless on the ground.

Slater was eventually stretchered from the field before referee Matt Cecchin called Soliola out, everyone fully expecting the official to hand him his marching orders.

However, viewers exploded when Cecchin only put the 30-year-old on report rather than send him off. The condemnation was swift and blunt.

What do you have to do to get sin-binned?! Was verging on a send off. What a disgrace #NRLRaidersStorm

— Steve Zemek (@stevezemek) July 22, 2017

Shortly after full-time Melbourne CEO Dave Donaghy took to Twitter to tell fans he'd already sent a text message to the NRL about the incident.

Speaking at the post-match press conference Storm coach Craig Bellamy agreed with the majority and questioned how fair it was that Canberra played with a full contingent but Melbourne five-eighth Cameron Munster was sin binned late in the contest for the far less serious crime of time wasting.
"If it's not a sending off then I don't know what is a sending off," Bellamy said. "It just seems an incident like that happens and then you're on report - so he (Soliola) is going to come under scrutiny without doubt - but then we lose a player for the whole night.
"I'm not sure that's right and fair.

"To me that seems not quite right when we lose a player for 10 minutes just for holding on."

Later on Saturday night referees boss Tony Archer owned up to Cecchin's mistake, admitting Soliola should have been sent off.

"Based on a review of the tackle, the incident did meet the indicators of a send off and the player should have been sent from the field," Archer said in a statement.

"The match officials always have the option of a send off and I expect them to use it in instances of serious foul play."

Bellamy said Slater was feeling worse for wear in the sheds but he didn't go to hospital. His departure from the field only compounded Melbourne's woes because the Storm was already without Cameron Smith, who injured his pec during the game.

Given the emphasis the NRL has placed on protecting players who suffer from head knocks this year, it's inexplicable to see how Soliola could remain on the field. He wasn't even sin binned.

Fox Sports commentator Warren Smith said this decision should result in a review as to how referees deal with similar incidents in future.

Well, that non send-off should warrant a complete review of how those situations are ruled on by all officials involved. #NRLRaidersStorm

— Warren Smith (@WarrenSmithFOX) July 22, 2017

The word 'process' is used a lot by the refs dept, but the process just failed Billy Slater and the game. #NRLRaidersStorm

— Warren Smith (@WarrenSmithFOX) July 22, 2017

Fox Sports commentators Braith Anasta and Corey Parker both criticised the decision to allow Soliola to keep playing.

Then as if the news couldn't get any worse for Storm fans, Soliola later threw the final pass to winger Nick Cotric to add salt to the wound as Canberra scored in the corner to reduce the deficit to four. At this point Melbourne led 14-10 with 15 minutes remaining.
But then life did get worse for the men from Victoria. Five-eighth Munster was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.

But somehow Melbourne held on. Even without its two superstars Smith and Slater, and down to 12 on the field in the dying stages, Craig Bellamy's men were the definition of resilience as they kept the Raiders at bay to win 20-14.