NRL 2022: Bulldogs forward Corey Wannell sent straight to the NRL judiciary for alleged eye-gouge

He apologised and said it was an accident but Bulldogs forward Corey Wannell is headed to the NRL judiciary for an ugly incident on Sunday.

Corey Waddell is off to the NRL judiciary after this incident againts the Gold Coast Titans at CommBank Stadium , Parramatta . Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

A post-match apology didn’t impact the NRL match review committee who have referred Bulldogs forward Corey Waddell directly to the judiciary for an allegedly eye-gouging Gold Coast captain Tino Fa‘asuamaleaui on Sunday.

An apologetic Waddell has denied he eye-gouged Fa’asuamaleaui and insisted he made accidental contact after attempting to bring the star forward to the ground in the 23rd minute of a fiery encounter.

Referee Ben Cummins asked the bunker to investigate, saying: “He‘s accusing the (player) of scraping across the eyes.”

Waddell was penalised and placed on report but is confident of being cleared.

“I went to get my arm over and push him on his back and obviously my hand wasn‘t in the best position,” he explained.

“When I realised it was on his face, I released it. It wasn’t intentional, there was malice there.

Corey Waddell, on report - NRL R19 Canterbury Bulldogs v Gold Coast Titans at CommBank Stadium , Parramatta . Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

“I didn’t realise what he was blowing up for but I didn‘t think my fingers were in his eyes or anything like that.

“They’ll have a look at the vision but they‘ll realise I just got my hand in the wrong spot. There was nothing in it.”

Fa’asuamaleaui pointed straight at Waddell after the incident and then pointed to his right eye as Cummins stopped play to ask for bunker intervention.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Corey Waddell, on report - NRL R19 Canterbury Bulldogs v Gold Coast Titans at CommBank Stadium , Parramatta . Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

Replays show Waddell‘s arm reaching over Fa’asuamaleaui’s shoulder and covering his eyes with his left hand.

A Titans player can be heard screaming: “You’re a fuc*ing cat, you‘re a fuc*ing dog, mate.”

Before penalising Waddell, Cummins tells him: “You‘ve been around the face and it’s on report. Don’t go there.”

After the match, Fa’asuamaleaui accepted Waddell‘s actions were not deliberate.

He said: “It’s just footy. Sometimes your hand goes somewhere you don’t know where it is.

“It happened to be on my forehead and hit my eye, but it’s accidental.”