By Dan Walsh
Broncos NRLW winger Ashleigh Werner will miss two games after a blocked nose and inability to breathe were used as unsuccessful arguments against a biting charge.
Werner, who was brought to tears repeatedly throughout Tuesday night’s judiciary hearing, will miss a quarter of the NRLW season after she became the first women’s player to be sent off in a match, for biting Roosters winger Jayme Fressard.
Broncos player Ashleigh Werner allegedly biting Jayme Fressard of the Roosters.Credit: NRL
Fressard and Werner both appeared via video link, with Fressard tendering photos taken after full-time and in the following days that showed “four puncture marks” on her arm.
Eight separate camera angles were shown of the incident, with Werner consistently arguing that her only intention once Fressard’s arm entered her mouth was to breathe.
Werner, who was making her NRLW debut after previous pursuits in bobsleighing and rugby sevens, submitted a doctor’s report from game day saying she was suffering from hay fever that threatened to rule her out of the game and that this contributed to her split-second action.
“I hadn’t been feeling 100 per cent,” Werner said, arguing that Fressard’s own movements in the tackle forced her head down onto the Roosters’ winger’s arm.
Broncos NRLW player Ashleigh Werner.Credit: NRL Imagery
“There’s another downward pressure movement from her shoulder on my head while her arm has made contact with my open mouth – it’s being forced deeper into my mouth and across my nose.
“At that point I’m trying to keep my mouth open to help myself breathe.”
The NRLW judiciary panel of Tarsha Gale and ex-NRL match review committee chairman Greg McCallum took just 12 minutes to find Werner guilty after more than an hour’s worth of evidence.
NRL counsel Lachlan Giles pushed for a two-match ban, noting that the NRLW regular season is only nine games long.
Fressard was adamant under cross-examination by Werner’s representative, Broncos operations manager Darren Robb, that Werner had bitten her, referencing replays, photo evidence and swelling she said she experienced after the game.
“I felt a forceful bite into my arm to the point her bottom teeth left puncture marks in my arm,” Fressard said.
“I felt a clench on my arm and I ripped my arm out of the tackle when I felt that.
“My arm is still tender to touch and [the puncture marks] have started to scab up.”
Werner’s counsel argued that blood mentioned by Fressard was not witnessed or referenced in any other evidence tendered, and maintained that Fressard’s movements in the tackle contributed to Werner’s response.
Character references were also tendered on her behalf as Werner rejected any suggestion of intent.
“There is not a single part of me in my life ever that would attempt to hurt, injure or do anything negative to another player,” Werner said.
“I would never, ever, ever go out of my way to hurt anybody. It’s not in my nature.”
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