"I told him after the game that he should have hit me with the ball."
He didn't even realise at the time that teammate Josh Reynolds was blowing up at him but even Michael Lichaa would have thrown the ball at himself if he had the chance.
In a moment of angst against the Warriors last Saturday night, Reynolds launched the ball back in the direction of the Bulldogs hooker when Lichaa's terrible pass was cause for the five-eighth's error.
Lichaa however laughed off suggestions he and Reynolds aren't on good terms and said the situation was "blown out of proportion".
"Josh is one of my best mates and that's probably why he blew up, because we're so comfortable with each other," Lichaa said.
"From the outside looking in, people don't realise the situation and how close we are obviously. It might look like there's dramas off the field but Josh and I cop it all the time because we spend so much time together.
"I was filthy at myself so I was fine with it. It was a laugh back in the sheds straight after the game too because there was nothing to it honestly."
Having had a closer view of the incident at the time, Bulldogs skipper James Graham labelled it a "bit of nothing".
"People are very fragile. I think for me, Josh is showing that he cares. I don't think it was such a big deal. We're grown men out there," Graham said.
"Lichaa doesn't need looking after and Josh didn't need to apologise but he has done to the whole group which is very good of him.
"I remember when I was at St Helens we'd go off at each other quite often and sometimes opposition teams are asking 'what's going on there?' I don't think Michael's going to hold on to it. It's been and gone."
The lingering effects of a knee injury suffered earlier this season is Lichaa's only cause for concern currently.
Lichaa admitted the injury suffered in Round 1 has slowed him up since returning three weeks ago but hopes improvement in it comes once he regains his confidence in it.
"I've done my best to get back on the field as quick as I could after three weeks because it was more of a five to six week injury," Lichaa said.
"I'm happy to be back on the field but I just want to get my confidence back because it's annoying me a little bit at the moment. Hopefully it comes back this week so I can put it behind me."
This article first appeared on NRL.com
