By Brad Walter
Sharks captain Paul Gallen faces two contrary-conduct charges from Saturday night's loss to Gold Coast - one for the facial attack that reopened a gaping wound near Anthony Laffranchi's right eye and the other for allegedly squeezing Josh Graham's testicles.
Both incidents will today be scrutinised by the NRL match-review committee, who will decide whether Gallen should join accused St George Illawarra biter Jarrod Saffy at Wednesday night's judiciary hearing.
Saffy will be hit with an ungraded contrary-conduct charge after Raiders halfback Todd Carney made an on-field complaint to referee Gavin Badger about being bitten by Saffy in a 32nd-minute tackle.
Carney showed Badger and others in the Canberra dressing-room afterwards what were said to be five tooth-marks on his bruised right forearm. Today, he is expected to be interviewed about the incident by members of the judiciary prosecution team. Titans management will today provide the NRL with photos of the ugly wound above Laffranchi's right eyebrow along the top of his eyelid to the bridge of his nose. It took the Gold Coast team doctor 45 minutes to insert 10 stitches.
Caused by a ninth-minute head clash with Gallen, the wound was so bad the Titans were considering not sending Laffranchi back out, but he returned briefly in the second half before again being forced to leave the field in the 67th minute due to further bleeding after a number of temporary stitches were ripped away.
Professional surfers Joel Parkinson and Mark Occhilupo were in the dressing room at full-time and were said to have been sickened by the gash where Laffranchi's skin had pulled apart. Graham also complained after the match to Gold Coast officials about having his testicles squeezed by Gallen after making a 41st-minute tackle on the NSW Origin forward. As Gallen was getting up to play the ball, he is alleged to have grabbed at Graham.
Titans players later played down the incidents but, privately, some of them were seething at what co-captain Luke Bailey labelled "grubby" behaviour. He said Gallen he had a reputation for such tactics.
"That's his cup of tea, mate," Gold Coast lock Ashley Harrison told Fairfax Media's Brisbane Times website.
Bailey, a NSW Origin teammate of Gallen's, added: "It was a bit grubby but that's footy, I suppose. I'm a roommate with Paul Gallen so I know what he's like. He's a bit of a roughnut but he's a decent bloke off the field. He just gets a bit hyped up."
Laffranchi said he was just happy to get a penalty from referee Jason Robinson for the incident, allowing Scott Prince to extend the Titans' lead to eight points.
"It opened it up again but that's the way it goes," he said. "It happened in the tackle. I was running the ball and he put his hand there. But that's football and you shouldn't be in the game if you can't handle a cut above the eye."
Robinson is expected to detail the incident in his match report to the NRL. Officials have spoken to the Sharks in the past about Gallen's niggling play, and the issue is expected to be raised again this week, with Gold Coast coach John Cartwright planning to talk to NRL referees boss Robert Finch.
Meanwhile, Canberra halfback Carney says he does not want to see Saffy suspended for his alleged bite. "He's done it in the heat of the battle and I reacted in the heat of the battle," said Carney, who told The Canberra Times newspaper it was a "dog act".
"I guess it's got to be said. If you get bit, you say something. But, at the end of the day, I don't want to see the poor guy get crucified for it because it's just something he's done in the heat of the battle and it's not going to put me out for any time, so hopefully he doesn't get any time himself. It doesn't happen too much and I guess he just had a brain snap last night."
Sydney Roosters five-eighth Braith Anasta, Canberra hooker Lincoln Withers and North Queensland five-eighth Travis Burns also face nervous waits today after incidents in weekend matches.
Anasta appeared to collect Storm winger Steve Turner with either his shoulder or forearm on Saturday and could face a careless high tackle charge. Withers was put on report for a clumsy, late hit and Burns was reported for lifting.
Meanwhile, Raiders centre Phil Graham looks set to join teammate William Zillman on the sidelines for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
with AAP