South Sydney back-rower Jai Arrow has revealed how his family was made to wear the bulk of the fallout from his infamous mishap in last year’s Queensland State of Origin camp.
The 26-year-old was hit with a $35,000 fine, as well as a two-game suspension, for bringing an ‘unregistered guest’ into the Maroons’ hotel on the Gold Coast ahead of game three.
Arrow said taking ownership of the incident was the least of his concerns, after members of his family were dragged into the fallout.
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“I learnt my lesson,” Arrow told Triple M.
“It was something that I wasn’t proud of and something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life, and I knew the scrutiny that was going to come from the whole situation.
“It wasn’t the scrutiny for myself and what was going to happen to me. I took full responsibility and put my hand up and suffered the consequences. But it was more the scrutiny around people messaging my family.”
He revealed his young nephew was among those targeted.
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“I have a little nephew who was 12 at the time or 13 (receive) threats and stuff like that, but you definitely learn your lesson. I definitely have, and (it’s) something that I’ve learned from and I’ve moved on from, and I think it’s made me a better person through those sort of tough times,” Arrow said.
“It’s something as a player you just have to live with and move forward and learn your lesson.
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“The toll it can take on your family when you say you’re suspended for the wrong thing or you do the wrong thing outside the rules… it definitely takes a toll more on them.”
Arrow was speaking on NRL’s standards for issuing punishments when he was quizzed on whether missing games of football was a more severe penalty than a fine.
“More the letting down my teammates in Origin and missing an Origin game… that’s something I hold so close to my heart and something I’ve loved doing and have been grateful to (have) been able to do since 2018 (when) I got my first opportunity,” Arrow said.
“For myself it was letting down my teammates, letting down my state, as well, which hurt, but letting down my teammates and coaching staff.”
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