League: Wiki to fight kneeing charge

The Warriors have said they will fight a charge against captain Ruben Wiki for kneeing a Broncos player in the National Rugby League (NRL) match in Auckland on Sunday.

The Kiwis captain faces a maximum eight-week ban if found guilty by the league's judiciary on the charge, at grade five the most serious on the scale.

The incident occurred in the first minute of the match, won 23-18 by the table-topping Broncos.

Wiki allegedly dropped his knees into the back of Corey Parker after he was tackled.

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah today said after studying the match footage and taking legal advice the club would defend the charge.

"While respecting the NRL's judicial process, we think Ruben has been unfairly charged and we have indicated that we will be contesting the charge," he said.

The Warriors would not make any further comment until after the case had been heard.

Wiki and a legal representative would attend the judicial hearing in Sydney tomorrow night.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was fuming about the tackle after the match.

"He got deliberate knees in the back and they really hurt," Bennett said of Parker, who was diagnosed with bruised kidneys.

Parker told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I didn't see it coming. I was on the ground ready to play the ball and I certainly copped a good set of knees."

An eight-week ban would sideline Wiki until round 23.

Wiki was one of eight players charged by the match review committee after the latest round of matches, three of them from the Sydney Roosters, who the Warriors play in Sydney on Sunday.

- NZPA