“I turn my attention to preparing my teammates and really helping everybody in my club the best way I can.”
NRL counsel Patrick Knowles SC told the hearing it was “a textbook example of a shoulder charge”, arguing Wighton twisted his body, braced and clenched his right fist before impact as Rudolf charged towards him.
Knowles acknowledged the head-on-head collision was accidental but said the initial, forceful contact was with Wighton’s right shoulder.
Wighton’s lawyer, Nick Ghabar, countered by pointing to video that shows Wighton’s right arm did briefly wrap around Rudolf’s left arm.
He also said Rudolf’s left-foot step contributed to the incident and that if Wighton had not braced and lowered his body position, an “even more violent head-on-head situation” would have ensued.
“There is a significant issue in watching incidents in slow-motion,” he added, pointing out that in real time, Wighton had a split-second to brace for impact.
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Wighton chose not to give evidence, and Bellew advised fellow panellists McCallum and Lindner that he was under no obligation to do so, and it should not be held against him.
Wighton was sin-binned for the incident, which left Rudolf concussed. The big prop will sit out Cronulla’s clash with North Queensland on Sunday.
Souths have already been decimated by injuries this season, with skipper Cameron Murray (Achilles), Latrell Mitchell (quadriceps), Cody Walker (hamstring), Keaon Koloamatangi (knee), Campbell Graham (back), Brandon Smith (knee), Davvy Moale (wrist), Mikaele Ravalawa (pectoral), Bayleigh Bentley-Hape (groin) and Jayden Sullivan (leg) currently sidelined.
Souths have slipped to last position on the NRL ladder after an eight-game losing streak, although they have one more win in the bank than 16th-placed Gold Coast Titans.
The Rabbitohs play the Titans on August 10 in what shapes as a potential loser-takes-all “spoon bowl”.
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