League: Bad boy denies penis-biting

Rugby league bad boy Anthony Watts has denied he bit an opposition player on the penis and says he will appeal an eight game ban handed down over the incident.

The former NRL utility was suspended last week by the Gold Coast Rugby League over claims he bit the penis of a Bilambil player while playing for Tugan on September 2.

The incident attracted worldwide notoriety for Watts and even inspired a Taiwanese animation.

But the 27-year-old told News Corp Australia on Wednesday he was innocent of the charge.

"I was wearing a mouthguard and there's no way I bit him on the dick,'' Watts said.

"The claim is laughable, but I've still had to live with it. I know I didn't do it and the people close to me know I didn't do it, either.

"It's pretty s***house to be at the centre of something like this, even though I've been through a lot in my career.

"It's something I'm probably going to be known for, even though they've got no evidence to back any of it up.''

Watts' NRL career ended in 2011 when he was dumped by Sydney Roosters for disciplinary reasons before playing a game for the club. He previously played for Cronulla and North Queensland.

Last year he was sacked by Super League outfit Widnes Vikings after just one game, with The Sun newspaper reporting Watts was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and found in possession of cocaine.

Watts, who has been linked to Gold Coast outlaw motorcycle gang The Finks, said the ban was part of a campaign to drive him out of the game.

"There's been numerous times in other games that players have made false claims against me,'' Watts said.

"I find that I get targeted all the time. If something happens to me, there's no penalty. If I do the same thing, there's a penalty.

"If I was an ex-NRL player considering a run in this competition, I'd think twice. It's tough because you don't get treated fairly."