JARRYD HAYNE claims he was the victim of a ''dog shot'' from Corey Payne in a war of words as fiery as their on-field altercation on Friday night. The Canterbury forward responded by calling for Hayne to be suspended for a ''cheap shot'' headbutt and encouraged Hayne's future opponents to niggle the Eels superstar into brain explosions.
On the same night that Nathan Hindmarsh labelled Michael Ennis a ''grub'', Hayne allegedly put a headbutt on Payne. Hayne said it was in response to Payne's swinging arm and taunts while he lay on the turf.
''It was a dog shot,'' Hayne told The Sun-Herald. ''And then he wants to call me a dog when I'm on the ground. That's what sparked it and why I was upset with the situation.
''It was average. That's obviously what triggered it. It was unnecessary. If you watch a couple of his games [you'll see] he's a real niggly player. Some things he does, it's not warranted in the game.
''I was clearly tackled, to come in with a swinging arm across the chin, it was a bit cheap. It's one thing to dog-shot someone, it's another thing to mouth off after you've done it. If you dog someone, you keep your mouth shut. He wanted to carry on. I actually didn't want to fight but he threw the first punch.''
The game was barely over before Eels chief executive Paul Osborne was on the phone to barrister Geoff Bellew, the man who famously got Hayne off at the judiciary following a headbutt to Billy Slater last year.
''He's the best in the business,'' Osborne said. ''I've already asked him to have a look at it.''
Hayne denied throwing a headbutt and was stunned that he copped the same fate as Payne - a stint in the bin and being placed on report.
''It wasn't that I headbutted him, I just came face to face with him. I can't see why I got 10 minutes. He actually threw a punch and acted aggressively. If someone calls you a dog you've got to front up to them. He did his thing, his forearm then hit me - and what I've done is gone face to face with him and I get 10 minutes in the bin as well … That's all I did. He throws a punch and gets the same treatment I got. I wasn't too impressed.''
Payne did not back down when quizzed about the incident.
''I just remember him getting up and headbutting me,'' Payne said. ''It was a bit of a cheap shot by him. Uncalled for. He's done it before with Billy Slater - he's headbutted him. That sort of stuff is not on, headbutting blokes, so I thought I was within my rights throwing a few punches at him.''
Asked if Hayne deserved a stint on the sidelines for his role in the incident, Payne replied: ''I think so. Headbutting isn't on in any grade. It's uncalled for and it's clear - look at the replay, he headbutted me. I'm within my rights to defend myself.''
The former Dragons and Wests Tigers forward claimed Hayne was easily baited and said opponents should use the tactic against him. ''If you get into him, that's probably a good thing for opposing teams to look at when they try to shut him down,'' Payne said.
''I think after that encounter he went into his shell a bit. After that 10 minutes in the bin, definitely, he didn't get into the game at all.''
The incident was the turning point in the game. Hayne started the match on fire with two tries as the Eels opened up a 14-0 lead. But with Hayne in the bin - Ennis and Hindmarsh also copped a 10-minute break for their altercation shortly afterwards - the Dogs lifted and scored 34 unanswered points.
''We got a bit of fire in us and we aimed up and Parra couldn't go with us,'' Payne said.
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