LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Canterbury Bulldogs bigwig Phil Gould played the role of defensive line captain by preventing Stephen Crichton from taking the stand at the NRL judiciary last week to discuss the alleged nose-nibbling incident involving Kyle Flanagan.
Despite lodging the initial complaint, Crichton was a no-show, leaving video evidence and the NRL's prosecutor to make the case against Flanagan.
The verdict was a four-week ban for the Bulldogs' player, sidelining him for the rest of the regular season.
Flanagan himself had his chance to plead his case at the trial, but Crichton was reportedly keen to give his side of the story.
However, Gould stepped in like a veteran fullback, sending a text to the NRL and Bulldogs' board explaining why Crichton should sit this one out.
In the end, the decision was made for Crichton, leaving fans to wonder what might have been if the star player had been on the pitch - or in this case, the hearing room.