Parramatta's Frank Pritchard has laughed off suggestions he was bitten by good mate David Klemmer during his side's NRL win over Canterbury at ANZ Stadium.
In a strange post-script to the 20-4 win - the Eels' sixth on the trot - Pritchard was forced to deny suggestions he was bitten on the face by his former teammate.
After Klemmer had been tackled by Pritchard in the 48th minute, the Eels forward approached referee Grant Atkins.
Atkins was picked up by the on-field microphones saying: "What? He bit your face? Do you want to make an allegation?"
Pritchard said it was a joke which had gone too far, not realising it had been broadcast to an audience of hundreds of thousands of people.
"No he didn't," Pritchard said when asked if Klemmer had bitten him.
"It was just a joke between Klem and I. I said 'Be careful, he's biting'. That's it.
The ref said 'Do you want to make a complaint?' I said 'nah'."
Had Pritchard levelled an allegation against Klemmer, the NSW forward would have likely been sidelined for the rest of 2017 and the first several months of 2018.
In 2012 Bulldogs skipper James Graham was suspended for 12 weeks after being found guilty of biting Billy Slater's ear during the grand final.
Pritchard and Klemmer were teammates for three seasons at Belmore from 2013 to 2015 and he said they remained close mates.
"It was just a joke," Pritchard said.
"I'm going to go see him now. I hope he doesn't bite my head off."
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