Raiders’ fiery player banned after brawl incitement

Raiders’ Corey Horsburgh Suffers Early Sin Bin

In a dramatic start to the match between the Raiders and the Sharks at GIO Stadium, Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh added another sin bin to his career tally within the first four minutes. The incident occurred when the Sharks were awarded a penalty, and Nicho Hynes took a quick tap. Horsburgh attempted to tackle Hynes but ended up dropping him on his back, despite not making it back 10 metres.

The situation escalated quickly as both Sharks and Raiders players gathered in a melee. Referee Grant Atkins acted swiftly, sending Horsburgh to the bin without hesitation.

Emotional Response from Andrew Johns

During the coverage on Nine, Andrew Johns commented on Horsburgh’s emotional state, saying, “He looks a little bit emotional today, Big Red. Watch when he comes back out, 10 metres of red mist in the dressing room. He’s fired up the big boy.”

Johns noted that Horsburgh might have thought standing next to the referee was the 10 metres required. However, Atkins had not gone back 10 metres himself, which led to the decision.

Impact on the Match

Horsburgh’s absence allowed the Sharks to take an early lead, scoring 12-0 with tries from Teig Wilton and KL Iro. His return sparked the Raiders into action, with Kaeo Weekes finishing off a brilliant linebreak by Xavier Savage to earn the team their first points.

From that point on, both teams exchanged tries. Billy Burns scored for the Sharks, followed by a try from Raiders forward Hudson Young.

Competitive Match Continues

The match remained closely contested, with both teams going try-for-try. At half-time, the Sharks held an 18-12 lead. After the break, Canberra scored their first try through Savelio Tamale, although it wasn’t converted.

Samuel Stonestreet responded for the Sharks, but the game saw a thrilling turn when Xavier Savage scored to tie the match at 22-22 in the 57th minute.