Peter Sterling has defended the decision to send Jake Trbojevic to the sin bin during Manly's heart-breaking finals defeat to the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
Trbojevic was binned after grabbing Bunnies centre Dane Gagai's jersey in a try-scoring position late in South Sydney's 34-26 victory.
The game-changing decision was slammed by many pundits and fans, with plenty saying rugby league is going soft.
But to others, Sterling included, Trbojevic's jersey tug was a textbook professional foul.
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"As soon as Jake Trbojevic grabs the jersey of the player in support, it becomes a professional foul," Sterling said on Channel Nine's Sports Sunday.
"There is intent, and once there is intent there, it has to be to stop this player supporting what was a try-scoring situation.
"Whether there's legs tangled at all, is - to me - inconsequential once he grabbed the jersey."
Sterlo also said he felt Cody Walker's sin-binning earlier in the same match was a step too far.
When quizzed about why a slap in the face shouldn't be punished as harshly as a jersey tug, the former Parramatta great explained.
"This (slapping) doesn't stop anyone scoring a try," he said.
"That (grabbing a jersey), if the support player gets the football and immediately passes to Adam Reynolds, who was on the inside, he scores under the post.
"That has a huge influence on the game.
"Two guys have a little bit of a slap 40 metres away, has no influence whatsoever.
"I think they got the Jake Trbojevic one right. Once he grabs the jersey, he makes the minds up for the officals."