Canberra Raiders second-rower Hudson Young is pleading not guilty to his dangerous contact charge, with the club exploring the possibility of Adam Pompey providing evidence to the NRL judiciary.
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Young was sent straight to the judiciary for an alleged eye gouge on New Zealand Warriors back Pompey in the Raiders' 24-20 loss on the weekend.
If found guilty, Young faces a lengthy suspension similar to the nine weeks South Sydney prop George Burgess received for an eye gouge on retired Wests Tigers legend Robbie Farah.
The Raiders have employed gun lawyer Nick Ghabar to represent Young on Tuesday night, as the Green Machine prepares to play the Melbourne Storm in an NRL qualifying final on Saturday.
Ghabar famously got former Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater off for a shoulder charge on the eve of last year's NRL grand final.
The Raiders were exploring the possibility of Pompey either appearing via a video-link or providing a statement to the judiciary.
Pompey reportedly took to social media to tell Young he "didn't feel anything" and didn't know he'd been poked in the eye.
There have been calls for one-year bans, which Raiders coach Ricky Stuart labelled as hysterical.
But he admitted it was "stupidity" and "probably a facial".
"I'm just concerned about the kid's welfare. The hysteria that has been raised through this is unfair," he said.
"There has been some childish comments about it.
"I am really disappointed in some of the comments aimed at Hudson because, it might sound funny to you, but he has got a mother out there really in desperate need for her son.
"She is very upset, Hudson is very upset. We've got to think about the person here as well.
"He did not intentionally go into gouge the young player from the Warriors and he didn't gouge him, the young player said that."
Young spent time training with Canberra's rehabilitation group earlier in the season during his previous five-week ban for an eye gouge on Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman.
Raiders co-captain Josh Hodgson was part of that group as he recovered from a broken thumb.
"We definitely have got around him, I touched base with him a few times to see how he's going and where is head is at," Hodgson said.
"He's been absolutely bombarded with messages on social media so I just told him to keep away from his phone as much as he can.
"A lot of people have been into him and giving their 10 pence, that's the sport we're in. We're in the entertainment business and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
"But at the same time we have to remember this is a 21-year-old kid who has made a mistake. Do I think he eye-gouged him? No.
"But he made a stupid mistake going anywhere near the face, but we've all made stupid decisions.
"I think it's time to let the match review committee deal with it and remember he's a young man who's doing it tough at the moment.
"I spent time with him earlier this year and I saw how much that affected him.
"He normally has a beaming smile and it was sad not to see that. He knows he's done it, but we've all made mistakes."
NRL QUALIFYING FINAL
Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Melbourne, 5.40pm.