Don't penalise me for soft indiscretions, says Heighington

[Discussion_Bot]

WESTS TIGERS back-rower Chris Heighington would be devastated if what he described as his new but ''unfair'' reputation for conceding penalties cost him a chance to represent NSW in the Origin series this year.

It has been noted in the opening three rounds that Heighington has given away penalties at important stages of games, but he bristled at the notion he's one of the code's habitual offenders.

''I know I've given away too many penalties, especially in the first round match [against Manly]. It's something I have been working on,'' he said. ''But if you go through my stats over the two years beforehand you'll see I've only conceded about 10 or 12 penalties a season before this year. There hasn't been too much in them; they've only been little penalties like not being able to pressure the kicker too much or run a guy off the ball.

''Manly was one of those games where we tried to slow the ruck down and they try to pick the speed up. Like a lot of players I'm getting used to the two referees where one is right on top of you yelling 'get off'. There's more eyes out there now.

''Hopefully my first few games won't go against me because it has been a goal of mine to play Origin since 2008\. I played pretty good footy back then and I think I'm playing that standard again, so I hope I'm in the mix. I think I am ready to step up and play for NSW in Origin.''

The Wests Tigers' top-shelf English import Gareth Ellis defended Heighington's reputation as playing hard but fair by offering the state selectors some free advice - ''measure 'Heighno' up for his blazer''.

''I've watched Origin since I was a kid and while it's unfortunate I can't play because I'm not from here, Chris appears to be the kind of player who'd suit Origin,'' Ellis said. ''He has the toughness needed for that level; he typifies so much about what Origin football is about, he'd be a great asset for NSW.

''He's one player I was aware of before I came to the NRL because he's a great back-rower, and it was tremendous to see first hand how inspiring he is and the challenges that he sets for himself … You want to run out with players like that.''

Regardless of his penalty count, Heighington has been a standout for the Tigers who play the Raiders in Canberra this afternoon. He excelled against Parramatta in the club's upset win last round and attributed his off-season under the club's ''torturer'' - strength and conditioning coach Steve Folkes - for his start.

''I only dropped about two kilos in weight but I lost a hell of a lot of body fat,'' he said. ''I went from [skinfold measurements] from over 100 to under 60, so I've been transformed.

''I've found I can get through the 80 minutes a lot easier. I've done that the last couple of years, but there were times when I struggled. Now I can get through it all at a much higher intensity.''

By Daniel Lane
[Source](http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dont-penalise-me-for-soft-indiscretions-says-heighington-20100403-rkov.html)

 

[crouching_tiger]

Heighno's workrate, loyalty and ticker is unquestionable.
But ever since Sheens has turned him into an 80min player i have seen his form gradually slide. Most of the penalties he gives away are through fatigue, where the referees are trying to get the defenders off the ballcarrier ridiculously quick.
His impact and onfield freshness is what has been missing for a little while now. He plays his best footy when his stamina levels are high.
And to add to this, Sheens has left him locking the scrum which isn't helping the issue. Most teams will work this out sooner or later just like the Roosters exploited this and will deliberately target him. Because he has been constantly mopping up the tackles from cheap steals, he will often get caught out retreating back to the defensive line.
Needs to be pushed back into the 2nd row where he can sustain his onfield longevity and this will also take the risk of injury through fatigue.
So in a nutshell….
Heighno ---> 2nd row + 15-20mins bench per match = Quality footballer

And Gaz is correct in saying Heighno is an Origin mould type of player, but i'm still confused to how these stupid corrupt representative qualifications rules work. I know i'm dumb and clueless, but if Heighno can play in the U.K. on a British passport under Scottish citizenship, then how did he qualify to play for the Prime Minister's XVII?? Can someone please explain??

 

[TheSunTanSuperman]

Heighno's workrate, loyalty and ticker is unquestionable.
But ever since Sheens has turned him into an 80min player i have seen his form gradually slide. Most of the penalties he gives away are through fatigue, where the referees are trying to get the defenders off the ballcarrier ridiculously quick.
His impact and onfield freshness is what has been missing for a little while now. He plays his best footy when his stamina levels are high.
And to add to this, Sheens has left him locking the scrum which isn't helping the issue. Most teams will work this out sooner or later just like the Roosters exploited this and will deliberately target him. Because he has been constantly mopping up the tackles from cheap steals, he will often get caught out retreating back to the defensive line.
Needs to be pushed back into the 2nd row where he can sustain his onfield longevity and this will also take the risk of injury through fatigue.
So in a nutshell….
Heighno ---2nd row + 15-20mins bench per match = Quality footballer

And Gaz is correct in saying Heighno is an Origin mould type of player, but i'm still confused to how these stupid corrupt representative qualifications rules work. I know i'm dumb and clueless, but if Heighno can play in the U.K. on a British passport under Scottish citizenship, then how did he qualify to play for the Prime Minister's XVII?? Can someone please explain??

He has Dual Citizenship. He made a choice about 2 or so years ago to make himself available for Australia.

 

[crouching_tiger]

Heighno's workrate, loyalty and ticker is unquestionable.
But ever since Sheens has turned him into an 80min player i have seen his form gradually slide. Most of the penalties he gives away are through fatigue, where the referees are trying to get the defenders off the ballcarrier ridiculously quick.
His impact and onfield freshness is what has been missing for a little while now. He plays his best footy when his stamina levels are high.
And to add to this, Sheens has left him locking the scrum which isn't helping the issue. Most teams will work this out sooner or later just like the Roosters exploited this and will deliberately target him. Because he has been constantly mopping up the tackles from cheap steals, he will often get caught out retreating back to the defensive line.
Needs to be pushed back into the 2nd row where he can sustain his onfield longevity and this will also take the risk of injury through fatigue.
So in a nutshell….
Heighno ---2nd row + 15-20mins bench per match = Quality footballer

And Gaz is correct in saying Heighno is an Origin mould type of player, but i'm still confused to how these stupid corrupt representative qualifications rules work. I know i'm dumb and clueless, but if Heighno can play in the U.K. on a British passport under Scottish citizenship, then how did he qualify to play for the Prime Minister's XVII?? Can someone please explain??

He has Dual Citizenship. He made a choice about 2 or so years ago to make himself available for Australia.

So you mean he can play for a country and not a state of that country?? Bit strange when current Qld Origin players are NSW juniors.

 

[TheSunTanSuperman]

Heighno's workrate, loyalty and ticker is unquestionable.
But ever since Sheens has turned him into an 80min player i have seen his form gradually slide. Most of the penalties he gives away are through fatigue, where the referees are trying to get the defenders off the ballcarrier ridiculously quick.
His impact and onfield freshness is what has been missing for a little while now. He plays his best footy when his stamina levels are high.
And to add to this, Sheens has left him locking the scrum which isn't helping the issue. Most teams will work this out sooner or later just like the Roosters exploited this and will deliberately target him. Because he has been constantly mopping up the tackles from cheap steals, he will often get caught out retreating back to the defensive line.
Needs to be pushed back into the 2nd row where he can sustain his onfield longevity and this will also take the risk of injury through fatigue.
So in a nutshell….
Heighno ---2nd row + 15-20mins bench per match = Quality footballer

And Gaz is correct in saying Heighno is an Origin mould type of player, but i'm still confused to how these stupid corrupt representative qualifications rules work. I know i'm dumb and clueless, but if Heighno can play in the U.K. on a British passport under Scottish citizenship, then how did he qualify to play for the Prime Minister's XVII?? Can someone please explain??

He has Dual Citizenship. He made a choice about 2 or so years ago to make himself available for Australia.

So you mean he can play for a country and not a state of that country?? Bit strange when current Qld Origin players are NSW juniors.

Nah mate, he can play for NSW as well. But the main eligibility criteria is Nation, and then state, city/country eligibility foalls under that.

 

[Geo]

I agree with Heighno….1 penalty he copped from Archer last week for inside the 10/not square was an absolute JOKE....Heighno ran with the player for 15m before he touched him......No surprises Parra where going nowhere at the time and it was late in the tackle count...

Archer....you Goose...musta been spewing you didn't get the Parra game this wk hey Tony...

 

[westTAHger]

as for the penalties, maybe he is just trying too hard to do too much,
would like to see Hino get a rest during game against Canberra, when he comes back on see what impact he makes.
.

 

[TIGER]

I don't think he's even on the radar for Origin.

 

[Guest]

Very impressive results on his skin fold measurements. Heighno walked past me at Gosford in the Sharks trial when he was replaced late in the game and the guy sitting next to me (A Bulldogs supporter of all people) mentioned Heighno looed like he was just all muscle. I had to agree with the guy, Heighno might be 2kg lighter, but he looks harder and stronger and is showing some good leg drive in his running this year.

Hope he continues his good form today. This is 2 points the Tigers cannot afford to let slip by them.

 

[NATHANBRA]

Heighno's workrate, loyalty and ticker is unquestionable.
But ever since Sheens has turned him into an 80min player i have seen his form gradually slide. Most of the penalties he gives away are through fatigue, where the referees are trying to get the defenders off the ballcarrier ridiculously quick.
His impact and onfield freshness is what has been missing for a little while now. He plays his best footy when his stamina levels are high.
And to add to this, Sheens has left him locking the scrum which isn't helping the issue. Most teams will work this out sooner or later just like the Roosters exploited this and will deliberately target him. Because he has been constantly mopping up the tackles from cheap steals, he will often get caught out retreating back to the defensive line.
Needs to be pushed back into the 2nd row where he can sustain his onfield longevity and this will also take the risk of injury through fatigue.
So in a nutshell….
Heighno ---2nd row + 15-20mins bench per match = Quality footballer

And Gaz is correct in saying Heighno is an Origin mould type of player, but i'm still confused to how these stupid corrupt representative qualifications rules work. I know i'm dumb and clueless, but if Heighno can play in the U.K. on a British passport under Scottish citizenship, then how did he qualify to play for the Prime Minister's XVII?? Can someone please explain??

Totally agree with you

 

[BeeJay]

Watching last weeks game vs the eels and i think heighno has been checking in on this forum.
I dont think he gave away a single penalty and the team benefited from it.
The penalties he usually gives away are silly things, lying down in tackles and generally just trying to slow the play the ball down.

Hopefully he can keep it up, and if the team can continue to defend like they did against parra, there won't be so much clean up work for him to do in defence and he won't get tired as easily.

 

[system]

Every season Reffs have opinions about each player going in to games regardless of what they say.

Players like Gibbs, Gallen and so on are targetted as grubs in whatever they do (some of those are warranted) whilst others are overlooked. eg: If Gibbs did what Payten did to Hayne he would be on the sidelines.

Same with ruck penalties. Guys like Heighno are punished while flop merchants like once great player Hindmarsh get away with it.

Good to see he is mindfull of it though

 

[gallagher]

Even he never gives away another penalty before origin I cant see why they would pick him. He's a bit of a workhorse but what else would get the selectors interested in him? There a heap of better backrowers on front of him.