New South Wales coach Brad Fittler has slammed Queensland forward Jai Arrow for his post-tackle action on concussed star fullback James Tedesco.
The Blues captain left the field in the 20th minute of the Maroons' State of Origin series-sealing 20-14 win at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.
Tedesco was knocked out, after making heavy contact with the knee of Queensland prop Josh Papalii, but the aftermath of that tackle has Origin legend Fittler seething.
Arrow lifted Tedesco by the collar and then slammed him back to the ground, before Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans called a stop to the action, with Tedesco in noticeable trouble.
Fittler isn't impressed by Arrow's moment of thuggery.
"Actually, it was a lot of lack of respect," he says. "But I'm sure he'll learn from it."
Arrow has defended his actions, saying he had no idea Tedesco was unconscious and once he realised that was the case, he signalled for the Blues medic.
"I just want to come out and say, at first, I was fired up and I honestly, personally am not a grub like that," he says.
The grubby act has sparked social media outrage, led by former NRL player Keith Galloway, who described the Queensland forward as a "grub" for what he did to Tedesco, before deleting the tweet minutes later.
Former Blues great Andrew Johns blasted Arrow's act during the Channel Nine broadcast.
"There's no need for that carry-on from Jai Arrow," Johns said. "The game is hard enough as it is, without that rubbish coming into play.''
Queensland coach Wayne Bennett has dismissed the reaction to Arrow's post-tackle antics, saying: "Brad's [Fittler] kidding himself if he thinks that lacked respect."
Arrow will join Bennett at South Sydney Rabbitohs next season.
