Kevin Proctor biting charge: Titans skipper to front the NRL judiciary

Titans skipper Kevin Proctor has faced the music for his alleged bite on Cronulla star Shaun Johnson, with the NRL judiciary handing down its controversial verdict following a marathon hearing that lasted four hours.

Kevin Proctor will fight a charge at the NRL judiciary.

It is official – man bites shark.

In one of the most controversial judiciary cases of the past decade, Gold Coast forward Kevin Proctor has been found guilty of a biting charge – a verdict which will split rugby league.

He was suspended for four games despite being awarded a 25 percent, seven year incident discount. He will return in Round 19 against Manly.

With a 90 minute starting delay due to debate over admissible evidence, the entire hearing took a marathon four-and-a-quarter hours.

Proctor – playing his 250th NRL game - was sent off for biting Cronulla’s Shaun Johnson last Saturday.

He was formally charged with dangerous contact (biting) and referred directly to the judiciary. Proctor appeared via video link from the Gold Coast and was represented by lawyer Tim

Fuller before a three-man judiciary panel comprising Sean Garlick, Ben Creagh and Bob Lindner.

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A Titans statement released late Tuesday night said the club was “disappointed” but would “move on.”

The panel’s decision came as NRL judiciary chairman, Honourable Justice Geoffrey Bellew, created another controversy with a stinging mid-hearing spray directed at Proctor, Johnson and Titans culture manager Mal Meninga.

Titans' player Kevin Proctor (right) appears via video link at the NRL judiciary in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

All three, who have official NRL contracts, spoke publicly – either through mainstream media or social media – about the case before the hearing, contravening NRL rules and potentially prejudicing the hearing.

They are expected to be investigated and possibly sanctioned by the NRL on Wednesday.

“This case has attracted a considerable deal of publicity; ignore them and pay no attention to them,” Bellew said.

“You must ignore any statements made by the players, any players in his team, Mr Johnson or by any club officials regarding this charge. It is not for players to discuss cases in the media.”

In evidence at the judiciary, Proctor said he couldn’t breathe with Johnson’s arm wrapped across his face.

“Yeah, I’ve got sinus issues, I was really struggling for air. The only way I could breathe was out of my mouth so I opened it. I opened my mouth and he got tighter with his grip,” Proctor said.

Asked bluntly did he bite Johnson, Proctor said: “Definitely not, that’s wrong. He had thrown me down and covered my mouth. The force of his arm and me trying to get breath, it ended up like that.”

A day after the hearing, Proctor found support from his former Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

“If he (Proctor) says he didn’t bite him I’m believing Kevvie, that’s not to say I don’t believe what Shaun said, I don’t know Shaun,” Bellamy said.

“He’s (Proctor) not that sort of player, I don’t think he’s been suspended before, I can’t even remember him having been charged to be quite honest.

“Not many guys go through without being charged at some stage and he’s played 250 games. That tells you what sort of player he is.

“I was surprised and it’s probably a strange sentence for that charge, I’m in Kevvie’s corner.”

Proctor confirmed he was wearing a mouthguard which was fitted for his upper teeth, not his lower teeth.

He said Johnson’s pressure on his face wasn’t eased until after the play-the-ball.

Giving evidence, Johnson was asked whether he believed while on-field that Proctor had bitten him. He replied: “Yes.”

Then asked did he still believe that, Johnson said: “No.”

“I just didn’t add up to me,” Johnson said.

“I knew I had a tight grip on him and knew my arm was pressed up against his mouth. I had the mark on my arm, that’s what I thought at the time. I’m not saying he tried to chomp my arm off.

Cronulla's Shaun Johnson looks as his arm after the alleged bit from Kevin Proctor. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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“At the time of the incident, my arm was pressing against his mouth area and then through whatever happened, the actions and movements, at the time of the incident, I felt like I was bitten. That’s why I reacted.

“I felt what I thought was an imprint of a mouthguard or teeth, or whatever it was. But I’m not going to sit here and say Kevin opened and closed his mouth.”

Under cross-examination from NRL counsel Peter McGrath, Johnson was asked whether his on-field reaction was honest. He replied: “Yes.”

A frustrated Johnson twice said “f--k” during cross examination.

Pressed on whether he elected to give evidence out of loyalty to Proctor, Johnson said: “No, no.”

An agitated Bellew regularly admonished and denied Fuller’s line of questioning.

Giving evidence, referee Henry Perenara said: “When I asked the bunker (Steve Chiddy) was there a definite bite, he said yes. There was a red mark in a circular motion (on Johnson’s arm) but I didn’t see any teeth marks.”

In summary, McGrath said: “We can see a biting motion on the arm. Player Johnson believed he had been bit.”

Fuller said: “It is unclear as to whether a bite actually occurred; the video evidence is inconclusive.”

Garlick and Creagh were at League Central in Sydney for the hearing, Lindner on a Zoom call from Queensland.

Originally published as Kevin Proctor biting charge: Titans skipper to front the NRL judiciary