Bulldogs Star Viliame Kikau Sent Off for Dangerous Tackle on Eels Captain Mitchell Moses

In an incident on Monday afternoon, Eels captain Mitchell Moses found himself at the centre of controversy after being accused of ‘milking’ a penalty, which resulted in Bulldogs star Viliame Kikau being sent to the sin bin.

During a tense first half in front of a lively crowd at Accor Stadium, referee Gerard Sutton issued Kikau a marching order for what was deemed dangerous contact.

Moses had executed a high attacking kick when he was collected by Kikau, prompting Sutton to award a penalty following the conclusion of the play.

Replays indicated that Kikau had run directly into Moses’ kicking leg, and despite his desperate protests, the Fijian international was dispatched to the bin by Sutton.

Greg Alexander, speaking on Fox League, remarked, “I thought it was a bit dangerous.”

“That’s why he fell to the ground; he spun in the air because his kicking leg was struck. You simply can’t allow that kind of contact,” Alexander continued.

“In this day and age, such incidents must be penalised.”

Parramatta seized the opportunity created by Kikau’s absence, with experienced prop Junior Paulo scoring to bring the scores level at 12-12 shortly after.

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While the penalty was universally accepted, Cooper Cronk speculated if Moses’ reaction might have influenced Kikau’s dismissal.

“You cannot target the kicker’s leg…though it seems Mitchell Moses has exaggerated the incident,” he remarked.

“I don’t believe it warranted a sin bin. Viliame Kikau attempted to pull out at the last moment, but Moses certainly felt the contact and embellished it a bit.”

Earlier in the half, Matt Burton delighted Dogs supporters by snatching a poorly executed pass from Ryley Smith to sprint away and score the opening try, an act Alexander hailed as “quite special” from the commentary box.

“The crowd goes wild at Accor Stadium – it was a moment you couldn’t script any better,” Andrew Voss added with a humorous quip during commentary.

Moses soon responded with a spectacular long-range effort of his own, scoring against the run of play in a stunning display.

Marcelo Montoya added the second try for the home side midway through the first half, as the drizzly conditions failed to dampen the attacking prowess exhibited by both teams.

Burton, Moses, Stephen Crichton, Max King, Zac Lomax, and Kurt Mann were all highlighted in this traditional public holiday match, each preparing to head into State of Origin camp.