In one of the more heated moments of the Broncos vs. Panthers clash, all eyes turned to Liam Martin after a fiery incident involving Nathan Cleary. As tensions flared, the Broncos aggressively targeted Cleary — and Martin was quick to respond. But while his loyalty and instinct to protect his teammate were admirable, the question remains: Was Liam Martin lucky to avoid the sin bin?
Let’s break it down.
The Panthers co-captain has long been a fierce competitor, known for his hard-hitting defense and fearless presence on the field. So, when the Broncos zeroed in on Cleary, Martin was never going to stand by and watch. He charged in, making his presence known and igniting a brief scuffle that had both teams on high alert.
The referees, however, made a controversial call: no sin bin for Martin.
To many fans, that decision seemed like a let-off. In similar situations this season, players have been marched for far less — sometimes just for escalating tensions or making unnecessary contact after the whistle. In this case, Martin arguably crossed that line. Whether it was a show of leadership or just raw emotion, his reaction certainly disrupted the flow of the game.
So why wasn’t he binned?
Some argue that the refs were trying to keep the game under control without escalating the situation. It was early in the match, tempers were flaring, and perhaps the officials hoped to calm things down with a warning rather than punishment. But here’s the issue: consistency matters.
Rugby league fans aren’t asking for perfection, but they are asking for fairness. If another player in a different jersey had done what Martin did, would the outcome have been the same? That’s the heart of the debate.
On the other hand, defenders of Martin point out that he didn’t throw a punch or instigate the confrontation — he simply stood up for a teammate. In a sport built on mateship and physicality, that’s hardly a crime.
Still, the question lingers: Does passion excuse potential misconduct? Or should intent and outcome both matter when deciding sin bin offenses?
One thing is clear — Martin walked a very fine line that night. And while he may have dodged the bin this time, the scrutiny will only grow stronger if similar incidents occur in the weeks ahead.
The refs made their call. But the debate is far from over.