YOU CAN BITE ME
PROCTOR VOWS I’M NO BITER
SHATTERED Titans skipper Kevin Proctor has broken his silence to declare he did not bite Shaun Johnson and will “fight to the death” to defend his name and reputation at the NRL judiciary.
In his only interview on the saga, Proctor told the Bulletin of his devastation at the allegations and vowed to preserve his 12-year record as a cleanskin after being referred to the NRL judiciary for biting Sharks halfback Johnson.
Proctor became the first player in NRL history to be sent off for biting an opponent, tainting his 250thgame milestone in the Gold Coast’s 30-18 loss to the Sharks on Saturday.
But Proctor will maintain his innocence and claims Johnson, his New Zealand Test teammate, even went to the effort of apologising to him after emotions ran high during an on-field spat between the pair.
Television replays showed Johnson’s arm lodged near the face of Proctor, whose mouth makes contact in a bid to avoid being choked.
Proctor claims he cannot breathe through his nose due to sinus problems which require surgery. Photographers captured a visible mark on Johnson’s arm but Proctor slammed suggestions it is a bite wound.
“I will be telling the NRL judiciary I didn’t bite Shaun Johnson,” Proctor said.
“My record in this game speaks for itself.
“I didn’t bite him, I am 100 per cent on that.
“I will fight to the death to clear my name.
“Rugby league has been going on for 112 years and no one has ever been sent off for alleged biting.
“I’m so pissed off about this.
“To be accused of biting someone is the lowest thing you can face as a footballer.”
Since his NRL debut in 2008, Proctor has been placed on report just once in his career for a dangerous throw in 2012. As it was a gradeone offence, Proctor escaped suspension.
Former Bulldogs prop James Graham was suspended for 12 games for biting Billy Slater in the 2012 grand final, but Proctor is adamant he did not intentionally attack Johnson and is seething at being dismissed by referee Henry Perenara.
The 31-year-old said he broke down in the sheds because he felt he had failed his Titans teammates as captain.
“It was a massive overreaction from the refs in my eyes,” he said. “I’m hoping the NRL can show some understanding on this.
“Being sent off and embarrassed for something I did not do was penalty enough.
“It was a weird situation. I felt like I was being choked. I could feel my mouth being forced open and the pressure on my throat was getting tighter and tighter. I was finding it harder to breathe.
“I couldn’t believe I would get sent off. I actually thought I was going to get the penalty for ‘Shauny’ putting his forearm around my throat.
“My honest answer is I didn’t bite Shaun. I have played 250 games of NRL and never been suspended. I have never bitten anyone in my life. I don’t want to be portrayed as a biter because no player in the NRL wants to be seen as a dirty player like that.
“I’m devastated because my 250th game will be remembered for me being sent off for biting someone. That dampens my achievement forever, it’s a sour ending to a milestone game.
“I am filthy that I let my teammates down. We were still in the battle, it was 12-all, and because of my send-off we lost the game.”
Proctor and Johnson exchanged a savage war of words at the time of the incident but the Titans skipper said the pair sorted the issue out after the match. Proctor says the incident “happened so fast out there”.
“I ran at him and all I remember is his arm coming around my throat then face and mouth,” he recalled.
“He got up whingeing saying, ‘you bit me, you bit me’. I said, ‘bulls**t bro, I never bit you’. He said, ‘so you didn’t bite me?’ I said, ‘no way mate’.
“The ref then heard it and decided to get involved.
“If Shaun has a mark on his arm, it could be from him forcing his arm into my face and mouth.
“We had a good talk after the game and Shaun actually said sorry to me. He said ‘mate, I didn’t want this to happen to you in your 250th game’. He didn’t think it was going to be more than a penalty. He felt bad that he played a part in me getting sent off.”