Titans prop Kevin Proctor has been referred directly to the NRL judiciary for an alleged biting incident against the Sharks' Shaun Johnson on Saturday, but says he'll "fight to the death" to prove his innocence.
Playing in his 250th NRL game, Proctor was sent from the field in the second half of the 30-18 loss, after he had appeared to sink his teeth into his Kiwi teammate's arm, which has earned him a grade three dangerous contact charge.
According to NRL.com, Proctor is "facing a longer ban as the match review committee considers the incident to be of a higher grading than detailed in the NRL judiciary code".
That suspension will likely stretch beyond the standard five-game ban, meaning Proctor - who's off-contract after this season - may have played his final game for the Titans.
In 2012, St George's James Graham received a 12-game suspension for biting the Storm's Billy Slater in the Grand Final.
Speaking to Australia's Courier Mail, Proctor is adamant he's done nothing wrong, believing Johnson was the one who deserved to be penalised for choking him.
"I couldn't believe I would get sent off," Proctor tells the Courier Mail. "I actually thought I was going to get the penalty for [Johnson] putting his forearm around my throat and face.
"My honest answer is I didn’t bite Shaun. I have played 250 games of NRL and never been suspended. I have never bitten anyone in my life. I don’t want to be portrayed as a biter because no player in the NRL wants to be seen as a dirty player like that.
"I'm devastated because my 250th game will be remembered for me being sent off for biting someone. That dampens my achievement forever, it’s a sour ending to a milestone game.
"I ran at him and all I remember is his arm coming around my throat then face and mouth.
"He got up whingeing saying, ‘You bit me, You bit me’. I said, ‘Bulls**t bro, I never bit you’. He said, ‘So you didn’t bite me?’ I said, ‘No way mate’."
Since his NRL debut in 2008, Proctor has been placed on report just once in his career for a dangerous throw in 2012, for which he escaped suspension.
"I'm so p**sed off about this. To be accused of biting someone is the lowest thing you can face as a footballer," he tells the Courier Mail.
In a strange turn of events, Johnson has since insisted he won't testify against Proctor at the NRL judiciary.
"Nothing happened, let's just leave it at that," Johnson told Fox League after the match.
"We were both heated in the middle of the game and I was a bit high on him and whatever happened, happened but we're still mates.
"It's his 250th [NRL appearance] and I don't want this to dampen this at all. He's been a great player for so long at Melbourne and now Gold Coast, and he's led with his actions his whole career.
"I don't think it's appropriate and I guess this doesn't do Kevvie justice to talk about this. He's a great player and I've loved playing with him at Kiwi level and I've got nothing but respect for him."
