State of Origin III 2016: Andrew Fifita says he has no regrets about his Origin brain snap

ANDREW Fifita has no regrets about his controversial Origin brain snap, saying of Queensland: “I don’t take their s**t”.

NSW Andrew Fifita rips back the head of Gavin Cooper after a try. Queensland vs. New South Wales at ANZ Stadium in Sydney for game 3 in the State of Origin series. Pic Peter Wallis

ANDREW Fifita has no regrets about his controversial Origin brain snap, saying of Queensland: “I don’t take their shit”.

Despite his bizarre attack on Maroons forward Gavin Cooper — and subsequent sin binning — almost costing NSW the game, Fifita insists he was simply standing up to a “disrespectful” Queensland.

Indeed, the Blues enforcer, who will now miss Monday Night Football against the Roosters after pleading guilty to a Contrary Conduct charge, said he would change nothing if he had his time over again.

Fifita said he attacked Cooper because, after trampling Matt Moylan to score, the Queenslander then threw the football at the NSW playmaker’s head in celebration.

As a result, Fifita grabbed Cooper by the head and then reefed him violently backwards — at which point a melee involving several players erupted.

The Cronulla cult figure also revealed how Queensland interchange forward Josh McGuire had deliberately pulled his hair during stages of the dead rubber at ANZ Stadium.

“When (Cooper) scored, fair enough,’’ Fifita said. “But what he did afterwards wasn’t called for. It was disrespectful.

“I hate seeing it. I think everyone hates seeing when one of the big fellas goes at a little halfback.

“I grew up with Moysa and we have a bond, a brotherhood between us.

“The referee said I got sin binned because I ran in from 35m. (Laughs) I think it was more like 45m.

“But I’ve got no regrets about doing it.

“If I had have been closer I would have done the same thing.

“I would have done it for anyone in this team. No regrets.”

As he walked from the field after being sin binned, Fifita was approached by benched captain Paul Gallen, who looked far from impressed with his Cronulla teammate’s actions.

“Gal just asked me what happened,’’ shrugged the forward who will only be suspended for the one game. “It was big fella, little fella.

“And it’s Moysa.

“He was one of my best mates growing up so ... I don’t take shit like that.

“I knew I’d done the wrong thing as soon as I got sent. And maybe if I had been closer I wouldn’t have got binned.

“But if I went at Johnathan Thurston, Queensland would all come running in too.

“I just don’t like to see it and do the same thing at club level, too.

“Mick Ennis does little niggly things in a game and you see the big fellas get into him — and I come running in. It’s happened earlier this year with the Tigers.

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“There’s brothers in our team and I will look after all of them.”

Quizzed on McGuire pulling his hair, Fifita continued: “I felt it when I got tackled, yeah.

“But that happens out there. (The hairstyle) is a bit lairy, but it’s just to keep the hair out of my face. That’s the main thing for me.

“But that’s what footy is.”

But as for being filthy with McGuire?

“I will leave that to myself,’’ he laughed. “I got my advantage back throughout the game.”

Fifita, who also crossed for a try in what was otherwise a strong performance, revealed he had no idea what was happening in those 10 minutes he was binned.

“I came into the dressing room and there was no TV, nothing,’’ he said. “I was trying to hear the noises but there really was nothing.

“So I got focused. I knew I had a job to get on with.

“I was hoping the score was still the same when I got back out there and it was.

“And that was my amp up to be honest, when I came out and saw there was no change.

“The crowd got behind me too. I just heard everyone screaming when I ran back onto the field.”