I'm in 2 minds with this.....It was the definition of a hip drop tackle. Unfortunately you just can’t do it even though it’s been around s for decades.
It certainly was a hip drop.
But I'm just wondering whether there should be no sin bin rule when there's only 1 tackler vs multiple tacklers, but it also applies if there's an injury or not.
In the case of Preston, it was just a player being swung while making a regulation side tackle. However, as it resulted in a bad injury, with injured player gone for the game, it should also be automatic sin bin.
IMO when there's 2 or more in the tackle, you should be binned for a hip drop.
But if it's 1 tackler, no intent, and no injury to the attacker (forcing him off), then it should just be a warning and penalty.
NRL has ruined the game by making it a black and white call on too many innocuous and accidental cases that are no worse than a classic cover tackle.