Knights star Jacob Saifiti has been handed a $3000 fine after an early guilty plea for headbutting Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney.
The Newcastle Knights’ meltdown in their 30-point defeat to the Bulldogs was topped off in the final minute by a shocking incident involving Saifiti.
After his brother Daniel left the field injured in the first half and did not return, Jacob followed suit, heading for an early exit after being sin-binned in the dying moments of the game for headbutting Mahoney.
Saifiti received a grade 1 striking charge from the match review committee for the headbutt. Last season, Roosters star Victor Radley was suspended for three weeks for the same charge, although Radley has a more extensive disciplinary record than Saifiti. The incident occurred when Mahoney attempted to score from close range but was stopped by several Knights players. As he got to his feet, a scuffle broke out, with Mahoney exchanging words with Newcastle players.
The referee tried to intervene, saying: “Boys, boys boys. Come on. There is a minute to go. Away we go.”
However, Saifiti ignored the warning, headbutting Mahoney. A shocked Dan Ginnane commented on Fox League: “Oooooh! Jacob, Jacob, you can’t do that. You cannot do that! Oh my goodness. One of the most unnecessary actions of the year.”
He added: “Reed Mahoney has got into the minds of the Newcastle Knights and it’s going to cost Jacob Saifiti a sin bin here – and he might have a little worrying to do overnight.”
Cooper Cronk said: “With a minute to go on the clock, Saifiti has let his team down with a bad, bad decision. And the worst thing is what could come of it. It obviously wasn’t a lot of contact but still.”
Mahoney was exceptional in the second half, not only with his play – recording two try assists – but also by getting into the Knights’ heads with his niggle and gamesmanship.
As the Knights unraveled, their frustrations grew. Just a minute before Mahoney drew the headbutt from Saifiti, he was flattened in a late hit that earned the Bulldogs a penalty. Dan Ginnane noted: “He’s got in the heads of the Knights, hasn’t he? He’s won that battle.”
A disappointed Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien lamented his team’s lack of discipline late in the game, saying: “They were frustrated.”
He was equally annoyed that his team failed to handle Mahoney specifically, saying: “It’s not like you don’t know that fella’s going to be involved. He does it every week. We need to be better there.”