Jack Hetherington has been arrested again for another charge of slapping after an incident with Cars fifth and eighth Will Smith.
The Knights The prop picked out a high tackle from Smith in the 42nd minute and slapped him, before being sin-binned as his side won. 34-18.
Hetherington was arrested for the same crime on Izack Tago last month.and
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The Legend of the Knights Andrew Johns described it as “not enough punishment”, while Brad Fittler also criticized Hetherington.
“That’s why he’s gone to a few clubs, a little bit hot under the collar,” the NSW Blues coach told Nine radio.
Although the Newcastle prop should be punished, Johns was surprised by his severity.
“They can’t lock him up … I’ll go home, all the way home, if he gets arrested for this,” he said on the Nine news.
Fittler wasn’t exactly surprised.
“He didn’t have to do it, he knows you can’t,” he said.
After the game, Paul Gallen described Hetherington as “disappointing”.
“The truth is everyone knows you get sent off 10 times these days, I remember when I was playing four or five years ago, when you slap anybody, it’s like a punch, you get sent to the dugout,” Gallen said. he said on Radio Nine.
“This guy is a good player, I think he is a very good player. He is fast, big, strong, but offensively, he does stupid things.
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“If you want to get punched in the head go to your local gym and drop someone off during the week and be disappointed with your plan.”
Newcastle carved the Tigers’ right early on as Greg Marzhew and Bradman Best crossed in the opening six minutes.
The Knights cut down the Tigers with ease
The Knights went the other way later with Dominic Young scoring, but Kalyn Ponga’s radar was off the tee, missing all three.
Just when the Tigers looked like they would be in control, Jahream Bula got his team back into the game, dispossessing Best to make it 18-6 after 30 minutes.
In the same half, the Tigers put themselves within six points when Apisai Koroisau was fouled by Ponga and Tyson Gamble, who shot Brandon Wakeham.
The Knights’ game of ‘juggling’ shows value
After half-time, Hetherington put his side in trouble when he was given his marching orders.
The Knights didn’t look too troubled, though, as Ponga went over after a while.
Bula grabbed the second after an Isaiah Papali’i linebreak with Hetherington still out of bounds to make it 22-16.
However, from there, the Knights stepped up as Young scored his second, with Gamble finishing in the 73rd minute to seal a 34-18 victory.
The Tigers will play the Dragons in Wollongong next Thursday, while Newcastle will face the Storm next week
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