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South Sydney recruit Jack Wighton has acquired a three-match ban after being discovered responsible of biting Newcastle five-eighth Tyson Gamble throughout Canberra’s elimination-final loss on Sunday.
Key factors:
Incoming Rabbitohs participant Jack Wighton has been handed a three-match ban for bitingThe NRL judiciary panel took 20 minutes to achieve its determinationWighton will notably miss the Rabbitohs’ historic match towards Manly in Las Vegas to start 2024
After an 80-minute listening to on Tuesday night, the judiciary panel, chaired by Geoffrey Bellew SC and comprising Penrith nice Tony Puletua and former referee Paul Simpkins, took 20 minutes to achieve its determination.
The panel retired at 8pm to think about its sentence, with Wighton’s defence offering a personality reference from Raiders legend and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga of their push for a two-match ban.
The NRL counsel steered a four-match ban, earlier than the panel settled on three.
The ban is shorter than that acquired by the final males’s participant charged for biting, ex-Gold Coast second-rower Kevin Proctor in 2020, and lighter nonetheless than these handed to James Graham (12 video games in 2012) and Brad Morrin (eight in 2007) for a similar offence.
Each events agreed the chunk on Gamble’s arm had been on the decrease finish of the dimensions by way of severity, and posed a decrease threat of damage than a chunk to a different space.
Wighton is South Sydney’s highest-profile signing for 2024, and the ban is a blow to their hopes of creating a quick restoration from their disappointing ninth-placed end to this season.
Wighton will notably miss the Rabbitohs’ historic match towards Manly in Las Vegas to start 2024.
Ordinarily, gamers might apply to depend consultant matches in the direction of their ban, akin to Australia’s end-of-year matches. However Wighton will not be eligible, having introduced his consultant retirement earlier this yr.
The match overview committee referred Wighton on to the judiciary after he was positioned on report simply after half-time of the Knights’ 30-28 win in Newcastle on Sunday.
Gamble’s forearm was wrapped round Wighton’s chin whereas making an attempt a deal with, after which Gamble instantly claimed to referee Ashley Klein he had been bitten.
Klein informed the bunker he had seen a row of chunk marks on Gamble’s forearm however opted towards sending Wighton from the sector, as a substitute putting him on report.
Wighton entered a not-guilty plea and appeared by way of video hyperlink earlier than the judiciary, supported by Raiders soccer supervisor Matt Ford and chief government Don Furner.
Defence counsel Nick Ghabar didn’t dispute contact had been made with Gamble’s forearm, however Wighton claimed the tackler had utilized “excessive” strain to the again of his head and his face.
“His forearm truly fell into my mouth earlier than I might even shut it,” Wighton stated.
“I’ve received no various, nowhere to go. It was full physique weight, full strain [on my head].
“My mouth was jammed open; not at one stage did I clench, not one little bit.”
The case of NRL counsel Patrick Knowles hinged on the suggestion there had not been any extra strain utilized than in any customary NRL deal with. Wighton did not just like the declare.
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“What number of video games of rugby league have you ever performed?” he retorted earlier than being reprimanded by Bellew.
Mr Knowles steered that mere strain alone wouldn’t have created such a transparent indentation on Gamble’s forearm, and there had been an intent to chunk.
Mr Ghabar stated no intent to chunk might be confirmed, insisting the six digital camera angles of the incident didn’t present a tightening of Wighton’s facial muscle mass that might be per a chunk.
However the judiciary counsel was persuaded by Gamble’s speedy strategy to Klein claiming to have been bitten, and an obvious tilting motion from Wighton per a chunk.
AAP
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