Shaun Johnson and Kevin Proctor hit with formal warnings from NRL over commentary prior to biting hearing
It was the biting saga that had the NRL world talking. Now Shaun Johnson and Kevin Proctor have both been hit with formal warnings. However, it was what took place after the on-field incident that has the Integrity Unit concerned.
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Shaun Johnson and Kevin Proctor have been issued a formal warning from the NRL over their commentary prior to the controversial hearing that resulted in the latter being suspended for biting.
Both the Cronulla playmaker and the Gold Coast forward were sent letters of concern from the NRL Integrity Unit on Friday morning.
The letters were also issued with the purpose of providing an official warning to the rest of the competition that any witness in a judicial matter must refrain from declaring their position prior to a hearing.
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The NRL will issue fines in the future if any player fails to adhere to the judiciary hearing process.
Specifically, the NRL Integrity Unit took umbrage at Johnson’s expansive Instagram post which he shared with his 312,000 followers on the same day – 10-days ago – that he later appeared as a character witness for Proctor.
Johnson made it clear in his extensive post that Proctor deserved to be acquitted.
The Titans forward was found guilty and suspended for four weeks.
The NRL also warned Proctor for his decision to conduct interviews with several media outlets ahead of the case.
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“I will be telling the NRL judiciary I didn’t bite Shaun Johnson. My record in this game speaks for itself,’’ Proctor told The Courier Mail.
“I didn’t bite him, I am 100 per cent on that.
“I will fight to the death to clear my name. Rugby league has been going on for 112 years and no-one has ever been sent off for alleged biting.
“I’m so pi**ed off about this. To be accused of biting someone is the lowest thing you can face as a footballer.
“It was a massive overreaction from the refs in my eyes.’’
Originally published as Shaun Johnson and Kevin Proctor hit with formal warnings from NRL over commentary prior to biting hearing
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