Waddell insisted after the full day that he did not knowingly put his fingers in Fa’asuamaleaui’s face.
But he has been charged by the NRL’s match review committee with unclassified dangerous contact for the 22nd-minute altercation, in which Fa’asuamaleaui accuses him of “scratching his eyes”.
Both players played down the incident, but Waddell’s non-qualifying charge means he faces a potentially lengthy ban, as Grade 3 dangerous contact normally carries a three-week suspension.
The 25-year-old’s charge for previous offenses is not taken into account as his case is a direct judicial referral, which the match review committee has deemed beyond a grade 3 charge, the highest that can issue
Canterbury has until midday on Tuesday to make a statement to a court hearing that night, with Waddell claiming that “once I realized [his hand] it was in my face, I let it go.”
“Obviously my hand wasn’t in the best position and once I realized it was in my face, I let it go,” Waddell said.
“It wasn’t intentional. I just went to grab my arm and push him in the back. He kind of exploded and I didn’t realize why he was exploding. I didn’t think my fingers were in his eyes or anything. ‘this.
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“I didn’t continue with the move… My hand was in the wrong place so a penalty was fair enough, but hopefully that’s it. [the match review committee] I will see.”
Fa’asuamaleaui immediately complained to referee Ben Cummins after the incident but accepted after full-time that the contact was not deliberate.
“It’s just a foot. Sometimes your hand goes somewhere you don’t know where it is.
“It went over my forehead and hit my eye, but it’s accidental.”
Finucane will also challenge a grade 3 dangerous contact charge for the heavy contact that left Penrith’s Stephen Crichton concussed and with a horrific cut to his ear.
Finucane was not penalized by the on-field officials for what referee Ashley Klein initially dubbed “a head bump”. The Sharks will challenge the match review committee charge with Nick Ghabar representing Finucane, risking a three-match ban if he fails.
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