See the shocking moment that saw footy star accused of biting a VERY sensitive part of rival’s body

St George Illawarra are at risk of losing key players in their bid for the NRL finals after Kyle Flanagan was accused of biting Stephen Crichton during a 28-10 defeat to Canterbury.

Bulldogs centre Crichton filed an official complaint with umpire Gerard Sutton on Saturday night, claiming Flanagan bit his nose as he tackled the five-eighths hole at Jubilee Oval.

The second-half incident was not punished on the field and Crichton suffered a bloody nose.

The captain was unable to attend the post-match press conference as he required medical attention and was replaced by second rower Viliame Kikau.

“His nose is a little swollen there, but we haven’t talked about it in too much detail yet,” Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said.

‘A few things are being checked with him.

“I don’t really know what to say about it, so let’s leave it at that.”

A possible suspension would leave Flanagan in hot water as the eighth-placed Dragons battle for their first finals spot since 2018.

The second half incident went unpunished on the pitch and left Crichton bleeding

Dragons coach and Kyle’s father, Shane Flanagan, denies any bites occurred.

“Kyle said he didn’t do it. I believe him, 100 percent,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I’ve watched the footage. Kyle showed it to me. He (Crichton) is pushing his face into him while Kyle is on the ground.”

The alleged bite occurred after Dragons forward Hame Sele was taken to hospital in the first half with an irregular heartbeat.

Sele complained of chest pains to a Dragons manager during his opening appearance but appeared in good spirits as he was transferred from the match between the two teams who have improved most this season.

“It’s a bit of a concern. I don’t want to say too much about it because I don’t know all the details,” said Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.

The Dragons are facing further difficulties as midfielder Moses Suli is due to undergo scans after being forced off in the final 10 minutes with a suspected medial cruciate ligament injury.

“It doesn’t look good,” Flanagan said of Suli’s injury.

Crichton was unable to attend the post-match press conference as he sought medical attention

A crowd of 18,416 with divided loyalties attended, making the round 23 match the best-attended match in Kogarah since the coronavirus pandemic.

But it was the fans in blue and white who felt supreme all night, with Bronson Xerri ensuring the Bulldogs held their rivals at bay for most of the first half.

A shoulder injury to Reed Mahoney was the only downside for the Bulldogs, although the hooker was benched and still managed to ride a stationary bike, a sign he was ready to return.

It was substitute Kurt Mann who secured the win just minutes after Mahoney came off, escaping a tackle from Blake Lawrie to extend the lead to three tries midway through the second half.

“(Mahoney) could have kept playing,” Ciraldo said.

‘But Kurt Mann played great, I think this was his best game for the club so far.’

Dragons coach and Kyle’s father, Shane Flanagan, has denied the bite occurred

The Bulldogs’ victory follows a transformative season under Cameron Ciraldo, who took the long-struggling side to a win outside the top four ahead of the final month of the competition.

The loss means the Dragons will likely need three wins from their last four games to secure a top-eight spot, although depending on other results they could qualify with a lower win total.

Dragons halfback Ben Hunt had a tough night and managed to keep his team in the top eight for another weekend.

He set up the Dragons’ first try with a kick to their favoured partner-in-crime Zac Lomax, but was also at the centre of several blunders as the Saints struggled to put pressure on Canterbury’s elite defence.

Rival halfback Toby Sexton played a key role in the Bulldogs’ 20-10 half-time lead, firing a ball into the box for Xerri and then helping the midfielder make his second with a beautiful flat ball.

Xerri’s double came after Matt Burton intercepted a pass from Hunt and ran 80 metres to open the scoring inside four minutes.