JACK Hetherington has vowed to continue playing with fire as he prepares to assume the mantle of Newcastle's enforcer next season.
After the departure of David Klemmer (Wests Tigers) and Mitch Barnett (Warriors), Hetherington's aggressive playing style is shaping as a valuable asset for the Knights as they strive to bounce back from an underwhelming 2022 campaign.
The only issue is that the towering forward, who has signed with the Knights for three seasons after he was released by Canterbury, has earned an unwanted reputation for attracting the attention of the judiciary.
Since debuting for Penrith in 2018, Hetherington has played in 43 NRL games and been charged eight times with an array of illegalities, leading to a combined tally of 15 weeks on the sidelines through suspension.
Asked if he needed to re-assess his demolition-derby approach, Hetherington said it was more a case of fine-tuning his defensive technique.
"It's not so much toning it down," he told the Newcastle Herald.
"There were a few incidents there where I did stuff up, but there were also a few incidents that were basically nothing, but because of the loading rule, I got punished worse than the average player would.
"So I've definitely worked on my technique, bending my back and dipping late, that sort of stuff."
Asked if he felt that his reputation had counted against him, Hetherington replied: "I think so.
"When you're getting suspended all the time, and it's in the media and that sort of stuff, I think the refs probably automatically target you.
"That's just the way it is."
Fortunately for Hetherington, the loading system was re-set at the start of last season and all players were given a clean slate. He is yet to re-offend.
The 26-year-old hopes to be fit to start the season after undergoing two major surgeries in March to repair a dislocated shoulder.
"I had a few complications with it and had to get it re-done," he said.
"But it's back to 100 per cent now and feeling better than ever."
Signing for the Knights represents a homecoming for Hetherington, who spent his formative years in Newcastle and played his first football with Valentine-Eleebana.
"I played all my juniors and stuff here," the son of former Canberra Raiders premiership winner Brett Hetherington said.
"Grew up here, went to school at St Mary's Gateshead, all my mates are here. This place is home."
Rated the fastest forward in the NRL, according to GPS technology, Hetherington has been described by Canterbury's general manager of football Phil Gould as an "elite" talent.
After starting his NRL career in 2018 as a prop, he was deployed as an edge back-rower by the Bulldogs last season, leaving Knights coach Adam O'Brien with something of a selection dilemma.
"I think he wants me to do a bit of both, and I'm happy to play wherever," Hetherington said.
"It doesn't bother me, as long as I'm getting time on the field and doing a job for the team.
"Wherever I'm chosen, I'll give my best.
"I'm not looking to cement a specific position. Wherever the coach wants me to play, that's fine by me."
When the Knights announced in June that they had signed Hetherington, O'Brien said his judiciary record was no deterrent. Nor does it appear to have worried the Raiders, Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra and Dolphins, who were also chasing him with lucrative offers.
"I'm not scared of that," O'Brien said at the time. "I think Jack understands. He's identified some tackle-technique issues that he's worked really hard at fixing.
"I think it's more about understanding the player and the timing of when he's got himself into trouble. Some of it could be around fatigue factor and when to get the interchange right around him."
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