Wayne Bennett and Cody Walker were pressed on Souths star Jai Arrow’s altercation with Bulldogs fans in the aftermath of Canterbury’s 32-0 thrashing of the Rabbitohs on Good Friday.
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The Daily Telegraph reported Arrow has had to be held back by staff members after a verbal altercation with Bulldogs supporters at Accor Stadium.
Arrow took offence to comments from a ‘Dogs supporter sitting in the stands behind the Rabbitohs bench late in the match.
Arrow had to be restrained, and police forced to intervene when he was being heckled, as he came from the field in the 65th minute.
Witnesses on the sidelines at Accor Stadium, where 65,000 fans gathered for the Good Friday mismatch, described the scenes as confronting and highly emotional.
There were also reports a Bulldogs fan threw something at Arrow from the crowd.
“You can’t be throwing stuff from the crowd, that’s terrible,” Aaron Woods said on Triple M.
Veteran Daily Telegraph reporter Brent Read asked Souths’ coach and captain about the incident in the press conference.
“At the end of the game Jai got upset with a fan and the staff had to calm him down, what did you make of that?” Read said.
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“I wish he got upset on the footy field, that would have been good,” Bennett said.
“I don’t know anything about that.”
Walker was near Arrow at the time, but didn’t hear what was said.
“I didn’t hear it,” Walker said.
“I was next to him, but there is 65,000 people here. I didn’t hear it.
Former Bulldogs skipper James Graham believes Arrow let his frustration get the better of him after a disappointing loss.
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“Obviously he’s a passionate individual, his team has just been beaten 32-0,” Graham said.
“I can understand how and why he’d react but at the end of the day you’ve just got to put your head down and cop your medicine because it’s their day in the sun.
“The Bulldogs have won and their fans are going to let you know all about it.
“As difficult as it is, and I know I would show a lack of restraint, but we don’t know what’s happened here.
“As long as it’s all fair game and it’s all fair, Jai should be the ‘better person’ and cop that.”
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