NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League / NRL

Rugby league: Gold Coast Titans captain Kevin Proctor sent off for biting Cronulla Sharks' Shaun Johnson

NZ Herald
15 Aug, 2020 08:24 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The incident involving Kevin Proctor and Shaun Johnson. Photo / Screengrab

The incident involving Kevin Proctor and Shaun Johnson. Photo / Screengrab

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Gold Coast Titans had another big scalp in their sights but a biting furore and send off has ruined any chance of staying close to the Cronulla Sharks.

At 12-all with 25 minutes remaining, it was anyone's game before Titans captain Kevin Proctor was sensationally sent off after being accused of biting.

The rare decision is saved for the worst of the worst and referee Henry Perenara believed the evidence was clear, sending Proctor from the field for biting Sharks star - and Kiwis teammate - Shaun Johnson.

"You were choking me, you were choking me, who's the f***ing sook," Proctor said clearly on microphone as the New Zealand pair jawed at each other.

Johnson then showed teammates and trainers his arm with Perenara trying to clarify "so there's a definite bite?"

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He immediately floated the send off with evidence from the bunker.

Kevin Proctor of the Titans is sent off by referee Henry Perenara for biting the forearm of Shaun Johnson of the Sharks. Photo / Getty
Kevin Proctor of the Titans is sent off by referee Henry Perenara for biting the forearm of Shaun Johnson of the Sharks. Photo / Getty

"We've got vision of a bite so you're off," Perenara said.

Kevin Proctor has lost his mind #NRLSharksTitans

— Mike Scolz (@skulzy87) August 15, 2020

Kevin Proctor is the first @GCTitans in the history of the club to be sent off.

And in his 250th as well. Wow.#NRL #NRLSharksTitans

— Jack Blyth (@jblesfooty224) August 15, 2020

The commentators were baffled by the commotion until it was clear a bite had taken place.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This is a sensation," Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.

"Extraordinary, a send off, it's so rare, and for a bite, the refs are certain that the claim of the bite was left. And the replays suggest that Kevin Proctor has a big problem."

But post-match, the plot thickened with Titans coach Justin Holbrook saying he "can't afford the fine, so can't say a lot".

He added that he had asked questions and that there was "no on-field complaint by the player" and said they should bring the officials into the game to answer the questions.

Discover more

NRL

SOS for SBW? Disturbing twist in Roosters' injury crisis

13 Aug 08:30 PM
Warriors

'Enough's enough': NRL urged to ban ejected Warriors fans for life

14 Aug 11:45 PM
Warriors

The photos which made the NRL investigate the Warriors

15 Aug 06:00 AM
Warriors

Paul Lewis: Star Warriors signing raises more questions than answers

15 Aug 12:00 AM

"I thought we'd created a lot of chances in the first half and it came down to one big decision," Holbrook said. "There are just too many people, we've done well going to one ref, it's good but there are too many extra people coming into the game."

He also suggested that Johnson apologised after full-time.

Johnson brushed off the event after vision of the pair sharing a hug post-match.

"Nothing happened, let's just leave it at that," Johnson said. "We were both heated in the middle of the game, I was a little high on him, whatever happened happened, we're still mates. I just spoke to him then, it's his 250th and I didn't want this to dampen it at all. He's been a great player for so long, and has led to with his actions his whole career. I think it's inappropriate and it doesn't do Kevvy any justice to speak about this, he's a great player and I've loved playing with him at Kiwi level, so nothing but respect for him."

Johnson refused to go any deeper and said they "were still good friends and what happens on the field stays on the field and don't need to talk about it".

Proctor has only had one charge in his career so far way back in 2012, while Johnson said he "doesn't see the value of taking it any further than what's happened here today", refusing to front the judiciary to explain his side of the story if required.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Braith Anasta said it was "clear as day, definite bite there from Kevin Proctor on Shaun Johnson and Shaun Johnson didn't know what to do".

The last send off was earlier this season when Addin Fonua-Blake was sent off for dissent after full-time against the Newcastle Knights when he abused a referee with a slur.

It also left the Titans vulnerable on the field with three tries within 10 minutes taking the Sharks to 30-12 before a late Keegan Hipgrave try made it 30-18 at full-time.

Ginnane asked Anasta if there was anything that warranted a reaction at all.

"No there isn't, he's not choking him either, his arm is around his mouth," he said.

Incredibly it was Proctor's 250th game as well. The Fox Sports Lab also revealed the last bite was in the 2012 Grand Final, which saw James Graham getting 12 weeks.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rugby league Immortal Mal Meninga questioned whether Johnson had officially made a complaint and said it was "out of character" for Proctor.

Channel 9's Erin Molan even suggested Johnson's arm opened Proctor's mouth.

"I don't know if it was a bite? It looks bad but once you look closer it looks almost like Johnson's arm forces Proctor's mouth open and that whilst Proctor's teeth are on Johnson skin – it doesn't look like he clamps down? Thoughts," she tweeted.

But Cooper Cronk, who played alongside Proctor at the Storm,

"The pictures do not lie," he said. "The integrity of our competition must remain considering we inspire a lot of junior rugby league players to play the game and have mums and dads follow it. The body language of Kevin, I know him well and that's a very remorseful guy. But he's going to have one tough week heading up to the judiciary and he's going to have, I'd imagine, a fair suspension to think about those actions and a chance to redeem himself late in this year or possible into next season."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from NRL

Warriors

The Warriors show out at home against the Tigers

Warriors

Understrength Panthers stun Warriors

21 Jun 07:34 AM
Warriors

Ex-NRL player says family threatened after 'dog shot' on Warriors fullback

20 Jun 04:58 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from NRL

The Warriors show out at home against the Tigers

The Warriors show out at home against the Tigers

The Warriors take on the Tigers in a home double header at Go Media Stadium in Auckland. Video / Sky Sport

Understrength Panthers stun Warriors

Understrength Panthers stun Warriors

21 Jun 07:34 AM
Ex-NRL player says family threatened after 'dog shot' on Warriors fullback

Ex-NRL player says family threatened after 'dog shot' on Warriors fullback

20 Jun 04:58 AM
'Reason why the Warriors are doing well': Slater praises Capewell after monster Origin effort

'Reason why the Warriors are doing well': Slater praises Capewell after monster Origin effort

18 Jun 11:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP