Hetherington sent off for high tackle on Holmes

Bulldogs prop Jack Hetherington was sent off for a high tackle on Valentine Holmes as his team slumped to 0-6 with a 30-18 loss to the Cowboys in Townsville.

With his side trailing 18-6 midway through the second half at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Hetherington was wrong-footed by a Holmes step and produced a swinging arm that collected the fullback across the throat, flipping him into his back.

The 55th-minute incident sparked an immediate melee, with referee Ashley Klein having little hesitation in making Hetherington the first player to be sent off this year, and first since Chad Townsend in round 17 last year.

Holmes was able to play on despite the impact of the hit.

Hetherington is facing a suspension, which would be the sixth of his career. Sunday was his 29th NRL match.

Canterbury were trailing 18-6 when Hetherington was given his marching orders.

That lead soon extended to 24-6 before the visitors produced their best period of play for the day.

Kyle Flanagan and Tuipulotu Katoa crossed to reduce the margin to 24-18 with nine minutes remaining. But it wasn’t to be and Canterbury will return to Sydney on Monday as the only winless team in the NRL.

The Cowboys had turned a match that was tied at the break into a 12-point lead within 13 minutes of play resuming in the second half by exposing some porous Canterbury defence.

Reece Robson and Ben Condon crossed to establish a match-wining lead.

The home side went into the break at 6-6 despite completing just 67 per cent of their sets.

They took a 6-0 lead in the sixth minute when Kyle Feldt out-jumped the Bulldogs defence to catch an attacking kick and touch down.

The visitors – a side that travelled to Townsville having scored just 34 points in their first five matches, were back on level terms in the 12th minute when Renouf Atoni crashed over after receiving an offload from Hetherington.

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