Newcastle prop Jacob Saifiti avoids suspension for headbutting serial NRL pest Reed Mahoney

Newcastle Knights prop Jacob Safiti is fortunate to have avoided a ban after suffering concussion in his club’s 32-2 defeat to the Bulldogs on Friday when he headbutted serial bully Reed Mahoney.

Despite this being Saifiti’s second offence, he will avoid suspension if he accepts a $3000 fine from the NRL judge for an early guilty plea. If he contests and loses, he faces a two-match suspension.

Bulldogs rake Reed Mahoney is known for irritating his opponents despite his diminutive 6-foot-4 stature.

“It’s not like you don’t know that guy’s going to be involved. He does it every week,” Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien said after the match.

“We have to be better there.”

Mahoney’s tactics provoked Saifiti in the final minute of the match, resulting in the headbutt.

Saifiti took the bait and headbutted Mahoney, receiving a sin for his trouble, but escaped a ban from the NRL’s Match Review Committee.

As Mahoney attempted to score near the try line, a scuffle ensued, with a referee intervening:

‘Boys, boys, boys. Come on. There’s still a minute to go. We’re off.’ he said.

But Saifiti saw the red mist and after an altercation with the Bulldogs’ hooker, he retaliated with a headbutt.

Commentator Dan Ginnane said: ‘Oooooh! Jacob, Jacob, you can’t do that. You can not do that! Oh dear. One of the most unnecessary actions of the year.’

‘Reed Mahoney has gotten into the minds of the Newcastle Knights and it’s going to cost Jacob Saifiti a scapegoat here – and he may have to worry a little overnight.’

Fellow commentator Cooper Cronk said: ‘With a minute to go, Safiti has let his team down with a bad, bad decision.

‘And the worst is what can come of it. Obviously it wasn’t much contact, but still.’

Mahoney had an altercation with Newcastle player Jack Hetherington in April and was shown a yellow card for pushing the prop forward. The following week he also clashed with Wests Tigers’ Alex Seyfarth.

Mahoney was pleased to break Newcastle’s four-match winning streak and keep the Bulldogs’ finals hopes alive

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien said his players had to be better than taking the bait

When asked about the Saifiti incident, Mahoney said, “I’m not sure. We enjoy the victory and will come back on Monday.

“There’s a big match coming up, so we’re looking forward to that.”

O’Brien felt his men had lost some mental sharpness after a bye last week and were becoming distracted by the adulation coming their way after four straight wins.

“The point for now is that we have to make sure that we go to Melbourne Storm with a really good mentality, that we can play well, and that we have to prepare and train in that way,” he said.

“We should probably batten down the hatches and get off social media and not read too much of what you’re going to write. Maybe we read too much leading up to this movie about how well we were doing. So now we’re looking inward and trying to solve it.”