Jack Wighton found guilty of biting Tyson Gamble in fiery NRL judiciary hearing

Soon-to-be-Rabbitoh Jack Wighton has been found guilty of biting Tyson Gamble in a judiciary hearing that featured a number of tense moments.

Jack Wighton has been referred straight to the judiciary over an alleged bit. Picture: Getty Images

The Rabbitohs will be without key recruit Jack Wighton for the start of the 2024 season after the former rep star was banned for three matches at a fiery judiciary hearing for intentionally biting Newcastle’s Tyson Gamble in Sunday’s elimination final.

The Raiders five-eighth was referred directly to the judiciary for an incident in the 47th minute when Gamble reeled out of a tackle and made an official complaint to referee Ashley Klein that he’d been bitten.

Wighton pleaded not guilty to the charge and was adamant at the time that he’d done nothing wrong, with Klein placing the incident on report and filing a referee’s report that said while he’d seen a mark and saliva, he couldn’t be sure of a bite.

It’s not the first biting controversy this year, with Broncos winger Ash Werner sent off in an NRLW game and suspended for two matches, while Gold Coast’s Kevin Proctor missed four games for biting in 2020.

The key difference this time around was that Gamble did not provide evidence on Tuesday night, unlike Roosters star Jayme Fressard who told the panel that she had been bitten and provided photos showing the scabbing on her arm.

The panel of Paul Simpkins and Tony Puletua sat through an 80-minute hearing and then deliberated for a further 23 minutes before unanimously finding Wighton guilty.

Jack Wighton has copped a three-match ban for biting. Picture: Getty Images

It means he’ll miss the first three games of the 2024 season for his new club – including the historic trip to Las Vegas – with Wighton unable to use Test matches as part of the ban because he announced his retirement from the rep arena earlier in the year.

He may be able to have a game taken off if the Rabbitohs apply to have the Indigenous All Stars match counted.

The NRL proposed a four-game ban based on the fact Wighton had entered four guilty pleas to charges this year, while the defence wanted half of that and used a character reference from Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga to support the 2020 Dally M Medal winner.

“I believe the actions are definitely out of character and not part of Jack’s demeanour when on the field,” part of Meninga’s statement read.

The Canberra star had earlier argued that Gamble put his arm inside his mouth and that he never clamped down in a biting motion.

Wighton was only wearing a mouth guard on his top teeth and told the panel that Gamble had wrapped his left arm around his head with “extreme pressure” and that he couldn’t have disappeared from the contact.

“There was no biting,” he defiantly said. “He was squeezing my head really hard. His forearm fell into my mouth before I could shut it.

“I’ve got nowhere to go. He’s got full body weight and full pressure so I’m locked in. That explains why there are teeth marks because my mouth was jammed in. At no point did I clench down.

“Not at any stage did I bite down.”

Judiciary counsel Patrick Knowles used six angles to mount his case and then grilled Wighton under cross-examination, telling the 30-year-old that Gamble had applied little pressure to the back of his head before the bite.

That’s when Wighton took exception via video link where he was sitting with Raiders chief executive Don Furner.

“How many games of rugby league have you played?” he barked back, earning the ire of judiciary chairman, the Honourable Geoffrey Bellew.

Tyson Gamble points to a bite mark on his arm. Picture: Getty

Knowles argued it was an intentional bite and stressed the lack of injury meant very little given a still photo and a close-up video showed an indentation above the strapping on Gamble’s left arm.

“What you do see is the mouth open and then the instant recoil of Gamble’s arm and an immediate complaint,” he said.

“Mere pressure to the mouth wouldn’t create a mark like that.”

Defence counsel Nick Ghabar argued that Gamble’s motive may have been to gain an advantage by having Canberra’s best player sent off because they were down by 10 points at the time, but Bellew instructed the panel to ignore that submission.

He also claimed that his client hadn’t clamped down and that if he did there would have been puncture marks or something more substantial.

“The video is completely inconclusive,” Ghabar said. “The bite mark itself is inconclusive.”

Tyson Gamble’s arm with clear bite marks.

How the hearing unfolded

8.15pm: Three-game ban confirmed: Wighton won’t be able to start next season with new club the Rabbitohs.

8pm: Raiders push for two-match ban. Defence says Gamble’s arm should not have been near Wighton’s mouth.

7.55pm: NRL pushes for four-game ban: While conceding the bite was not serious, the NRL pointed to Wighton’s long judiciary record and four previous offences this season.

7.50pm: Jack Wighton found guilty. The panel is now considering length of suspension.

7.05pm: Panel starts deliberation

6.50pm: Final defence of Wighton: “The real issue is was this a bite and was this an intentional bite? Is that the manner in which the indentation came to be on player Gamble’s arm.”

“We don’t have anything to suggest there were teeth marks in the nature of a bite or a puncture. It is just non-existent.”

6.35pm: Final argument for NRL:“You see the moment before the bite player Wighton’s mouth is open. Then there is the contact and then player Wighton opens his mouth again.”

“You can see for yourself that there is an indent above the strapping on player Gamble’s arm.

“You can see there is a slightly glossy film on player Gamble’s arm.

“There is an indentation made by the lower teeth and saliva on the arm. This is the result of an intentional bite.”

Jack Wighton placed on report for biting. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

6.20pm: Wighton defends his actions: “It was a normal tackle and as I was going to the ground his forearm wrapped around my mouth with extreme pressure.”

“He squeezed my head really hard. That explains why there were teeth marks but there was definitely no bite.

“His forearm actually fell into my mouth before I could shut it. He has his whole forearm in my mouth applying extreme pressure.

“There is full body weight and full pressure. That explains why there is teeth marks because my mouth is jammed fully open but at no time did I clench one bit.

“Not at any stage did I bite down. His arm was just jammed in my mouth and his full body weight was on me. There was nothing I could do.”

6.10pm: NRL’s opening statement (extract of the referee’s report): “Tyson Gamble immediately reacted and pointed to his arm, I recognised this as a potential allegation of biting and stopped the game immediately.”

“As I approached I had a look at his arm and saw a mark. The mark I saw would be consistent with one row of teeth. It was also surrounded by what appeared to be saliva.

“Tyson walked away at which point I asked if he wanted to continue with the allegation. He returned again showing his arm and commented on the saliva that was present in the area.”

Spiteful start

The hearing got off to a fiery start with the following exchange.

NRL legal counsel is Patrick Knowles: “Pretty ordinary tackle, wasn’t it”?

Jack Wighton: “What do you mean? How many games of rugby league have you played?”

Originally published as Jack Wighton found guilty of biting Tyson Gamble in fiery NRL judiciary hearing