League: Wiki escape riles Broncos' chief

SYDNEY: Brisbane Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen has hit out at the decision to clear New Zealand Warriors player Ruben Wiki of foul play as Broncos prop Corey Parker remains doubtful for this weekend.

A three-man NRL judicial panel on Wednesday took less than 15 minutes to find Wiki not guilty of a grade-five charge of dropping his knees into Parker's back last Sunday.

Wiki, who faced eight weeks on the sidelines if found guilty, will captain the Warriors against Sydney Roosters tomorrow.

Parker, meanwhile, is still in pain and struggling to be fit for today's match against strugglers South Sydney.

Cullen, wary of a fine from the NRL, held back on venting his true feelings but was clearly unimpressed by the decision.

"We're disappointed, particularly for Corey, who is in agony this week and still in doubt for the game on Saturday," Cullen told the Australian newspaper.

"We're probably a bit disappointed with the comments of the player [Wiki] himself in which he said it would be a kick in the guts if he was suspended. That would have been nowhere near as severe as what Corey copped."

Wiki escaped the charge with the help of slick work from prominent Sydney lawyer Geoff Bellew, who contested the wording of the charge, which said "kneeing a player on the ground", and established that Parker was "substantially in the air".

He also ruled out recklessness or intent on Wiki's part when he established Parker was still moving and falling to the turf when Wiki moved in to attempt a legitimate tackle.

Cullen said he did not understand why Wiki could not be charged with another offence.

"At training yesterday he [Parker] couldn't bend over and pick up a ball.

"The rule says you have to be reckless. I thought he came from a long way away before the tackle was completed. I don't know what he was trying to do with the knee where it was. Someone could end up with a ruptured kidney. You could lose one."

- NZPA