'Low act': NRL legends slam George Burgess over 'disgusting' move

NRL greats have called on officials to slap George Burgess with a big ban after the Rabbitohs forward was caught eye-gouging an opponent on Thursday night.

Burgess will on Friday learn his fate after being put on report for an ugly incident early in the first-half of the Rabbitohs' 14-9 NRL defeat to the Tigers at Bankwest Stadium.

The Englishman is facing the prospect of a lengthy stint on the sidelines after digging his fingers into Robbie Farah's face in a tackle early in the first half.

While it was not conclusive he had dug into Farah's eyes, the Tigers No.9 got up and remonstrated with referee Adam Gee.

Burgess could be hit particularly hard by the match review committee given his history after he was last year found guilty of eye gouging Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and suspended for four games.

Former players and commentators all agreed that it was a disgusting incident that warranted a lengthy ban, if the NRL is serious in eliminating it from the game.

"Gouging is one and biting is the other, two of the lowest acts you can do on the field," Johnathan Thurston said on Channel Nine.

"If they're going to deter anyone from doing this, they need to throw the book at him, it's a low act."

The Fox Sports commentary team were equally as scathing, suggesting Burgess was lucky to stay on the field.

“This is where the bunker should come in and say that is a deliberate eye gouge — see ya later," Steve Roach said.

Former NRL star Corey Parker added: “If we want to eradicate it, he needs to go and sit down. He needs to go and sit down for the duration of the game.

“If we’re going to be fair dinkum, you can’t be having that. It’s not a good look for our game.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett publicly chided Burgess for his actions, saying there was no reason for him to put his fingers in the Wests Tigers veteran's face.

"There was just no need to put himself in that position to start," Bennett said.

"I'm not condemning him for it, in that I don't know whether his fingers actually made contact with the eye or not. The point is it was totally unwarranted."

Canberra's Hudson Young was earlier this month rubbed out for five weeks for an eye gouge on Aiden Tolman.

However, North Queensland firebrand Josh McGuire has twice this year escaped with a fine for contrary conduct for facials on Cameron Munster and Dylan Walker.

The NRL was forced to defend its decision not to charge McGuire with a more serious offence but argued its hand were tied because neither players made complaints.

Given that Farah got up claiming Burgess' fingers made contact with his yes, the Englishman is likely to find himself with a case to answer.

"Obviously there was a hand on the face but after that, looking on the big screen that's all I could see, I only saw it once or twice," Bennett said.

"I can't definitely say it was an eye gouge or what it was. There was definitely a hand in the face, no doubt about it, but I thought it was more in the forehead."

Tigers coach Michael Maguire refused to comment on the incident.

With AAP