In an NRL, there are two acts that are seen as unsavoury by the NRL on the footy field. That is biting, and eye gouging – with biting being the latest furore to hit the the realms of rugby league.
The controversy arises after Sharks NYC player Daniel Moroko was placed on report, after he allegedly took a bite out of Warriors prop, Liligifo Sao, in the Sharks loss to the Warriors.
With Sharks NRL coach Shane Flanagan admitting that the incident did not look good, and with Sao making an on-field complaint about the incident – the biting allegation will be reviewed by the NRL match committee later today.
If Moroko is found guilty of it, he is looking at a suspension of at least seven games, with evidence from Fox Sports not helping the young player’s cause.
“We will have a good look at it (today) and assess it,” Flanagan said.
“Daniel is a good kid. This is out of character for him.
“He hasn’t done anything wrong before.
“I haven’t spoken to him just yet about it. It didn’t look real good but there are circumstances for everything.”
After not being able to pinpoint the player that done it, in Moroko, referee Gavin West found the Sharks NYC player and said: “The whole incident is on report.”
To make matters worst for Moroko, other Warriors players said that they later saw indentation marks from the bite post-game, in Sao’s arm.
The last player in any NRL competition to be banned for biting, was former Bulldog Brad Morrin, who at the time, received an 8-game ban for biting then Eels centre, Timana Tahu.
Moroko, who is related to former Wests and Sharks forward George Moroko, may have his incident immediately deferred to the NRL judiciary, in a hearing on Wednesday night.
Flanagan said of Moroko’s future prospects as an NRL player: “He goes well. Daniel is in his second year of Toyota Cup.
“Like every under-20s player, he has hopes of reaching the NRL. As I said, we will have a look it on Monday and assess it.”