Broncos player Ashleigh Werner fought back tears as she faced court after serving a two-game suspension after being found guilty of biting a teammate.
Werner became the first player to be sent off in NRLW history, after being ordered to bite the hand of Roosters winger Jayme Fressard.
The Broncos star also said that biting an opponent “wasn’t in my nature”, saying contact with Fressard’s arm was accidental due to being under a group of players.
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“There’s no voluntary head movement for me at all,” he said.
“He continues to push me as he walks. There was never a time in my life when I wanted to hurt or harm anyone. This is not in my nature.
“I ran, I went to the ground after being caught by Fressard and Sergis and I heard the referee shout something and I turned my head. When I looked at the ref I felt pressure on my neck.
“Then I felt an arm thrust into my mouth. I had a stuffy nose that night, and the week leading up, and I couldn’t breathe through my nose. I was already struggling to breathe.
“I felt pressure in my mouth guard and that’s not very good but there is no intention in any way shape or form to join him (the arm). The only thing that was going through my head was to play football.”
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Werner received no mercy from Fressard, who told jurors the bite was “definitely” severe, adding that his left arm was left “swollen” at the site of the bite.
“By the time I had bought my arm and put it next to my head, I felt faint and had to rip my arm off when I felt the bite,” he said.
“A minute or two after my arm was on him, that’s when I felt a bite on my nose.”
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