North Queensland coach Todd Payten is proudly from NSW but insists the decision to sin-bin centre Valentine Holmes and put him on report for a hip-drop tackle in the  42-28 win over Wests Tigers was uncalled for.
He said a worse tackle by Tigers' prop David Klemmer on Cowboys forward Kulikefu Finefuiaki, for which he was put on report, was a "textbook" hip-drop despite him not being binned.
Holmes was binned in the 37th minute on Friday for a tackle on Tigers forward Isaiah Papali'i who left the field, not to return, with an ankle injury. He was later in a moon boot.
Holmes is almost certain to be named on Monday in the Queensland team for the State of Origin series opener in Sydney on June 5. The 28-year-old has scored 13 tries in 16 appearances for the Maroons and is one of the first picked.
"We lose (a player) for 10 minutes and that inconsistency annoys the crap out of me and the players, members and fans," Payten said.
"Every time it goes into a bunker situation, I get really nervous. I am sure the players feel the same. The sin-binning changes the complex of the game and it becomes so hard to wrestle back momentum.
"With all the camera angles they can't be getting that wrong, amongst other calls. It is so frustrating."
Holmes's tackle was reviewed by the bunker. He was accidentally landed on by Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden while making the tackle, which may play in his favour.
"It wasn't a hip-drop from the start so I am gob-smacked by the bunker in that situation," Payten said.
"I don't know what a rugby league player is supposed to do when they are going for a try and a defender lunges at their legs.
"He is going to land on their legs. I have no doubt where he is going to land, but it is not a hip-drop."