NRL 2024: Jack Hetherington accepts ban over Reed Mahoney tunnel altercation

Canterbury have asked the NRL for clarification on why Reed Mahoney was charged with on-field contrary conduct moments before he and Newcastle’s Jack Hetherington clashed on their way to the sin bin.

Players scuffle during the round seven NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Newcastle Knights. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Bulldogs have asked for an explanation from the NRL after hooker Reed Mahoney was charged over an on-field clash with Jack Hetherington only moments before he was confronted by Newcastle forward in the bowels of Accor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Hetherington has accepted a one-week ban after he shoved Mahoney outside the dressing sheds, having been sin-binned following a melee that was sparked by the pair on the field.

Mahoney was also sin-binned over his role in the on-field altercation but he and Bulldogs officials were stunned on Monday morning when he was charged with grade one contrary conduct by the match review committee.

While Hetherington will spend a week on the sidelines, Mahoney will only receive a fine. Regardless, Bulldogs officials were blindsided by the charge given Mahoney was punished during the game with a stint in the sin bin and Hetherington was the instigator of the incident that occurred off the field.

Players scuffled on-field before the sin bins. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

As a result, Bulldogs officials are believed to have reached out to the NRL for a please explain. This masthead understands that Mahoney’s charge from the match review committee was solely related to the clash between the pair on the field.

It is understood the match review committee felt he escalated the incident because he had his hands and arms on Hetherington’s neck before grabbing the Bulldogs forward, prompting other players to rush in.

Hetherington, meanwhile, was charged for a combination of both his on and off-field actions as he let his frustrations get the better of him as the Knights were thrashed at Accor Stadium.

Hetherington was cooling his heels in the Newcastle dressing sheds watching the broadcast when he saw Mahoney had also been given his marching orders.

He raced out of the sheds to confront Mahoney, shaping up to the Bulldogs hooker before shoving him. Bulldogs officials intervened to stop the incident escalating but the match review committee took a dim view of Hetherington’s actions on Monday morning, adding salt to their gaping wounds after they were thrashed by the Bulldogs.