Former Virginia Rams player Ricardo Russo banned from football for life after second biting offence

A northern suburbs footballer and father-of-two has been banned for life after biting an opposition player — in his return game after serving a suspension for an earlier biting offence.

Virginia Rams B-Grade footballer Ricky Russo and, inset, the injury he caused by biting an opponent in 2018. Russo received a life ban in 2019 after biting another player in his first game back from suspension. Pictures supplied and from Facebook.

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A northern suburbs footballer and father-of-two has been banned for life after biting an opposition player — in his return game after serving a suspension for an earlier biting offence.

Virginia Rams B-Grade player Ricardo “Ricky” Russo was found guilty of biting for the second time in a tribunal hearing on Wednesday and banished from the Adelaide Plains Football League.

The bite mark left by Ricky Russo after his first biting offence in 2018.

The 10-match ban inflated Russo’s career tally to 25 games and well past the league’s 16-game threshold for a life ban.

Russo, who was not present at the hearing, bit a Hummocks-Watchman Football Club player on the arm during the Rams’ 61-36 loss at Port Wakefield Oval on April 27.

The match was Russo’s return to the field after an eight-week suspension for an identical offence — against the same team at the same location — that targeted a different player on May 12 last year. The Rams were defeated 71-29.

Adelaide Plains Football League president Michael Vigor said Russo’s suspension in 2018 was increased by three games because of an “inappropriate social media post” targeting a Hummocks player after the incident.

Ricky Russo (pictured front left) with his former Virginia Rams teammates. Picture: Facebook

Mr Vigor said Russo’s latest indiscretion was the “height of stupidity” and “almost like deja vu”.

“There’s no way you can condone that type of behaviour,” he told The Advertiser.

“You have to feel for the victims of these types of incidents. They shouldn’t have to be subjected to that.

“It’s not a good look for league (and) for the individual it’s not a good look for them.”

The Advertiser understands the latest incident occurred in a tackle just before half-time.

Mr Vigor said Russo’s ban was recognised across the country and his behaviour was not “taken lightly by the league”.

The ban also means Russo is unable to hold any official position within the APFL for at least two years.

Last month, The Advertiser revealed former Finks bikie Dylan Jessen would make his amateur comeback with Virginia Football Club’s A-Grade team.

Reviving a controversial career that stalled when he was dumped by Salisbury North in 2016, the young father debuted on April 27 in Virginia’s 96-point loss to Hummocks-Watchman.