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MRC make call on Jack Wighton after alleged biting incident

He was accused of biting an opponent’s arm during Sunday’s elimination final.

Published by
Scott Pryde

Exiting Canberra Raiders five-eighth will face the NRL judiciary on Tuesday evening after being referred directly to the panel by the match review committee.

Next year's South Sydney Rabbitohs recruit will potentially start his time at Redfern suspended after he was accused of biting Newcastle Knights half Tyson Gamble during Sunday afternoon's elimination final loss in Newcastle.

In front of a sell out crowd, the Raiders had been on top of the match until the incident, and while the bunker couldn't definitively prove he had engaged in biting Gamble's arm, Wighton was placed on report by referee Ashley Klein for further investigation post-match.

While the incident itself didn't attract a penalty, it brought the crowd back into the game with the Knights blasting to the lead shortly afterwards. Wighton played a key role in bringing the Raiders back to parity, before a Knights' penalty goal in extra time would steer the Knights to victory and keep their season alive, with Adam O'Brien's side to play the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland next week.

The Raiders have not determined at this time whether Wighton will plead guilty or not guilty to the offence - a plea of guilty would mean he is eligible for a match discount from the penalty decided by the judiciary.

However, Wighton maintained immediately after the incident to Gamble and referee Klein that he had never biten down on the arm, despite TV cameras appearing to pick up teeth marks.

If the bunker had of found evidence in the short time frame they have to decide on incidents, Wighton almost certainly would have been sent off.

It will now be on the judiciary and NRL prosecution to determine whether Wighton made any intent to bite the arm of Gamble.

Previous penalties for players found guilty of biting have all been long, and if the utility - whose position at the Rabbitohs under coach Jason Demetriou remains unclear - is found guilty, then he will face a long stint on the sideline to start his time at Redfern.

A plea of guilty or not guilty will be submitted by midday (AEST) on Tuesday, with Wighton to then have his judiciary case start at 6pm (AEST).

Published by
Scott Pryde