'Can't do that': NRL legends slam Josh McGuire over latest ugly act

Josh McGuire is in hot water again after the Cowboys enforcer sparked another eye-gouging controversy on Thursday night.

Despite copping two charges for making contact with an opponent’s face already this year, McGuire was spotted giving David Fifita some treatment in the Broncos’ win at 1300 Smiles Stadium.

With Fifita on his back in a tackle, McGuire put his hand on the young forward’s face - very close to his eyes.

It was impossible to tell if there was any ‘eye-gouging’ as such, but it’s a horrible look after a number of similar incidents involving McGuire this year.

League legend Andrew Johns was highly critical of McGuire after the game.

“You can’t do that. I don’t know where his thumb is, if it goes anywhere near the eye,” Johns said on Channel Nine.

“I thought he was lucky earlier in the year to get off, there was one up here where there was a bit of argy-bargy around someone’s eye.

“The funny thing is, in years gone by when it was the wild west playing footy in the 70s and 80s, if you trip someone, straight off. Now you get a fine.

“If you eye-gouged someone, 12 months gone, now you get a slap on the wrist or a fine. It’s a no-no.

“If someone can’t defend themselves, putting your hands or thumb near their eye, we’ve got to get that out of the game.”

Billy Slater added: “It was totally unnecessary, he didn’t need to put his hand anywhere near the face.”

“It’s going to create some attention this week for sure.”

McGuire’s latest incident

McGuire was hit with a $3400 fine for contrary conduct in June for making contact with Dylan Walker’s face.

That followed another contrary conduct charge in round five for a similar incident involving Cameron Munster.

“His hand certainly comes into contact with the Brisbane player’s face,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League after the game.

“Hard to see on that angle whereabouts his thumb is, but it looks as though he’s just leaning on his face.

“But given his history, you would think he’d steer clear of that.”

After the match, Cowboys coach Paul Green said he hadn’t see the incident, while Broncos coach Anthony Seibold said McGuire had been ‘niggling’ his players.

“I don’t think our forward pack took a backward step to Josh,” Seibold said.

“He was trying to niggle a few of the guys there, but our guys stood their ground.”

Fans were also highly critical of McGuire.