History made as NRLW player sent off for ‘hated’ biting act

A Broncos star has become the first NRLW player to be sent off after cameras captured an act that Phil Gould says needs to be discouraged.

Ashleigh Werner was sent off.

The opening round of the NRLW has been rocked by the competition’s first send off after Broncos rookie Ashleigh Werner was marched for an alleged bite on Roosters winger Jayme Fressard in her side’s 36-18 loss on Saturday night.

Fressard had her left arm around Werner’s face and immediately reeled away and complained to the referee that she had been bitten midway through the second half.

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The Bunker looked at several replays and could see that Werner had bitten her rival, leaving the referee with no choice but to send her off.

“The Bunker has reviewed it. The hand goes into the mouth and she clenches down on the hand so she’s off,” referee Wyatt Raymond said.

Werner, the former bobsleigh athlete, was making her NRLW debut and will now likely be referred directly to the NRLW judiciary.

Broncos winger Ashleigh Werner is sent off last night for this alleged bite on her Sydney Roosters opposite Jayme Fressard.

Retired NRLW star Allana Ferguson said in commentary on Channel 9 the send-off was the right decision.

“It’s a hard one, because (Fressard) had her arm over her mouth for an extended period of time,” Ferguson said on Nine.

“But, I mean, that shot there speaks volumes.”

Phil Gould said acts of biting are particularly hated by players and said he understood why Fressard reacted so dramatically.

“She has her mouthguard in, so I’m not sure how much it would have hurt,” Gould said.

“But if she’s taken a nip on the arm that’s something that has to be discouraged, and it’s one of the things that footballers do hate. They hate (eye) gouging and they hate biting.

“Footballers don’t like that, so (Fressard) has reacted quickly... they don’t like that sort of action and that’s why she reported it.”

Werner isn’t the only player facing a nervous wait after Roosters skipper Isabelle Kelly was placed on report for lifting her bumpers and hitting Shenae Ciesiolka in the head.

Kelly was the victim of a similar incident in the women’s State of Origin opener when Julia Robinson collected her in the throat which saw her sent to the intensive care unit.

Brisbane’s Tazmin Gray is also on report for a crusher tackle on Jess Sergis while the Broncos could be without Robinson after she suffered a hamstring injury.