Revealed: The foul-mouthed ref spray that could end fiery Cowboys star’s season

The ref’s mic audio showing Josh McGuire’s foul-mouthed tirade at Grant Atkins has the fiery Cowboys forward facing a two match ban.

Atkins sent McGuire to the sin bin in the first half of the Cowboys’ 36-20 loss to the Melbourne Storm on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

He has since been charged with contrary conduct by the judiciary. With an early guilty please McGuire will sit out just one week, but with 45 carry over points, if he challenges and loses, he’ll be banned for two matches — the remainder of the season.

McGuire was carrying the ball inside his own half when Atkins called a halt to proceedings and sent the Queensland forward to the bin.

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In the period the 30-year-old was off the field the Storm scored twice.

At the time of his dismissal it was not known what McGuire had said to Atkins.

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The ref’s mic audio revealed that when he got up from a tackle, McGuire turned and shouted in the direction of Atkins: “F*** me, c***”.

The official instantly blew the whistle and signalled McGuire off for ten in the bin.

“You can go to the bin for that,” Atkins said.

“I’m not copping that dissent, I’m not going to repeat what you said but you can go.”

The NRL launched a crackdown on dissent last season, with Broncos winger Corey Oates being handed a $550 fine this year.

The most high-profile example of a player being sanctioned however, was Manly prop Addin Fonua-Blake.

The Tongan international called a referee – Atkins again – a “f***ing retard” after full-time in the Sea Eagles’ Round 14 loss to the Newcastle Knights.

The discriminatory nature of his comments saw Fonua-Blake received a two-game ban, a $20,000 fine – all of which went to Wheelchair Rugby League Australia – and had to apologise to disability support groups.