Hodges wants Gallen punished further

Queensland centre Justin Hodges says Paul Gallen should face tougher punishment than
a $10,000 fine for racial vilification and questioned whether he should be allowed
to play next Wednesday's State of Origin opener.
Hodges is one of several Maroons with either Indigenous or Pacific Islander heritage
and believes the NSW and Australian Test forward has been let off lightly for
allegedly racially vilifying St George Illawarra's Mickey Paea last Saturday.
The NRL issued Gallen with a $10,000 fine for his comments and the Blues forward
refused to speak to journalists at the NSW open media session in Melbourne on
Tuesday.
But Queensland duo Hodges and Petero Civoniceva were quick to condemn their Test
teammate.
"There is no need for that in the game," said Hodges.
"I think it should be squashed out of the game altogether. I don't think you need to
bring those sort of marks into the game. I think they should be left way outside the
game.
"I've never crossed it yet. It's something you want stamped out of the game forever.
It's something that doesn't need to happen.
"Maybe he probably might need a tougher penalty than that."
Asked should he be playing in the game's showpiece event, Hodges said: "(From
Queensland's point of view,) no. But, in saying that, he is a great player and one
of the best players they've got as well so for us it's probably a little bit sad to
still see him there," he said.
"But that's alright, we can take care of him."
Civoniceva was racially abused by a fan at Parramatta Stadium last year and says the
NRL was right to take action against Gallen.
"It's obviously something that we don't want in our game and I'm happy that they've
made a stand on it," said Civoniceva.
Asked if he had a problem playing against someone who made such comments, Civoniceva
said: "Yes for sure".
But he also added he didn't believe Gallen should be suspended from playing Origin.
"The NRL have made a decision and fined him and he would have obviously learnt from
it and we move on," said Civoniceva.
Like Paea, NSW prop Brent Kite and centre Michael Jennings are both of Tongan
heritage, however they have no issue playing alongside Gallen next week.
"That's between Paul Gallen and Mickey Paea. As far as I know, they've sorted it
out," said Jennings.
"Once I put this footy jersey on, none of that other stuff matters ... it's got
nothing to do with me."
Kite defended Gallen, believing the matter should have been left between the players
and the NRL should not have imposed such a heavy fine.
"I think that is a bit harsh," he said of the $10,000 penalty.
"The main person offended, I would've thought, was Mick and if he has asked to move
on and forgive, forget or whatever, then I thought everyone else should be able to
do the same," said Kite.
"I get on with Gal and I think the main thing is if Mickey and him shook hands after
the game and they've buried it, then I'm happy to get on with it too."