NATHAN Brown described the tackle on Jonny Lomax, which led to Brett Ferres being sent off, as “shocking”.

The Saints full back was dropped on his head in the tackle with 16 minutes remaining in Challenge Cup tie.

Referee Phil Bentham subsequently showed Ferres the red card. Ex-Huddersfield coach Brown agreed with the decision but did not feel the challenge that saw Lomax lifted and then driven head first to the ground was deliberate.

Asked about the sending off, which arguably changed the game and saw Saints go on to snatch a 16-17 victory, Brown added: “It was a no brainer. Brett Ferres is not a dirty player, he does not go out to do deliberately things like that.

"But it was a shocking tackle and we have just seen what has happened in Australia (that led to a serious injury to Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon).

"He (Ferres) seems like a decent fella, he not deliberately set out to do it and there was a lot of punishment in the send off because it has cost them the game.

"But it was a shocking tackle and he deserved that, but he's not deliberately done it, Baloo doesn't coach it, the Giants players are not like that.

"It was an unfortunate incident but thankfully Jonny Lomax is healthy."