NRL: Jarrod Wallace is sent off after dropping Knights gun Simi Sassagi on his HEAD

Jarrod Wallace ignited a melee after dropping Newcastle young gun Simi Sassagi on his head as Gold Coast’s season slumped to a new low on Friday night.

With the game out of reach deep into the second half, Wallace lost his cool and dumped his 21-year-old opponent on his head as the Knights attacked the Titans’ tryline.

The incident saw a huge coming together between both sets of players and a furious David Klemmer swung a retaliation punch at the Gold Coast prop.

Jarrod Wallace was given his marching orders after dropping Simi Sassagi on his head

The incident ignited a melee as tempers flared during the clash between the lowly sides

Wallace was sent off for his shocking tackle, while Klemmer was sin binned for the final 10 minutes of the match.

‘Bit of old Dave come out, you know, bit of red mist,’ Klemmer told Fox League. 

‘I couldn’t help myself, I had to stick up for young Simmy. It didn’t look good and I thought I had to come in and help the young bloke and make sure he was all right.’

It was a night to forget for Justin Holbrook’s side as the Knights ran riot in a battle between two teams looking to avoid the wooden spoon.

Winger Edrick Lee became Newcastle’s highest try-scorer in an NRL game when he contributed five in the Knights’ 38-12 win over Gold Coast at McDonald Jones Stadium.

It was a night to forget for Gold Coast who fell to the bottom of the ladder after this defeat

That gave the former Origin back nine tries so far in 2022 and finally the loyal Knights fans had something to smile about, even if it was only the second win at home in seven matches.

Lee’s haul ensured he leapfrogged six Newcastle players who have scofed four tries in a game – the last being James McManus in 2013.

His teammate Dominic Young claimed a hat-trick to make the two wingers the only Knights players to score.

But there was other drama afoot alongside the Knights’ record books being re-written.

In the second half, Titans prop Jarrod Wallace was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Knights utility Simi Sasagi close to the Gold Coast line.

The advantage was not immediate as David Klemmer was put in the sin-bin for retaliating.

Newcastle winger Edrick Lee scored five tries as the veteran ran riot against the sorry Titans

The Knights did have to fight for the victory.

After skipping out to 22-0, the Titans scored two tries within five minutes early in the second half to make the score 22-12.

But a 10-point margin was as close as the visitors got with the avalanche of points late consigning the Titans to a sixth straight loss.

These two sides made the NRL finals last year but they languish among the also-rans this year with nine rounds left.

Still nothing could bring relief to coach Adam O’Brien better than five tries in the opening half and three in the second.

The tally of eight was the most scored by the Knights in a game this season.