Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans strongly believes Addin Fonua-Blake's two-game suspension is sufficient, declaring he'd be stunned if the NRL elected to slap a further punishment on the firey front-rower.
Cherry-Evans further admitted major lessons were learned among Manly players as to the sensitivity of the words used by Fonua-Blake in his foul-mouthed spray at referee Grant Atkins that saw him sent off in Sunday's 14-12 loss to Newcastle.
Tempers boiled over at Lottoland at the weekend after the Bunker chose not to rule on a late push in the back on Manly winger Tevita Funa that would've gifted the Sea Eagles a penalty and a potential opportunity to level scores at 14-all on the siren.
The controversial call triggered a ferocious verbal attack from Fonua-Blake at the officials in which the prop was picked up by on-field microphones calling referee Atkins a 'f***ing r****rd'.
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Fonua-Blake has been hit with a two-game suspension by the NRL for a breach of contrary conduct, but is facing further sanction after it was revealed he would be investigated over additional comments made inside the Sea Eagles sheds towards the referees.
Speaking in a video statement released by the club on Tuesday, Fonua-Blake insisted the second verbal tirade inside the sheds was not directed at the referees.
"I wasn't aware that the refs were in the tunnels, and they must have heard me say what I said in the sheds," Fonua-Blake said.
"But I didn't say it directly to their face, it was just sort of me venting out loud in the sheds."
With Tom Trbojevic and Dylan Walker already sidelined, additional weeks added onto the Fonua-Blake two-game ban would be a severe blow for Des Hasler's side, who have lost three of their past five games.
Asked if he expected Fonua-Blake's suspension to be extended, Cherry-Evans said: "I'd be very surprised if that happened."
"I understand their frustration was towards the stuff that happened in the tunnel but I think we've made it very clear that's certainly not any direct emotion or passion or words that have been directed towards the officials.
"I think as a player when you're the tunnel, when your venting your frustration indirectly, I feel like that's okay.
"I'd be very surprised to see if anything more happened. Two games is a very big punishment based on the shortened season. Addin's owned his mistake, he's been punished accordingly so anything more than that I'd be really surprised to see happen."
Cherry-Evans admitted Fonua-Blake's failure to curb his emotion in front of Atkins was a bad look on the game but said his teammate was extremely remorseful for the slip-up.
"To be honest we've got a player that's made a mistake out on the footy field based on using the wrong language at an official," he said.
"We just can't be showing that sort of emotion at the referees, that's where I stand. We've just got to try and not vent our frustrations directly to officials.
"I don't have a problem with the emotion, with the passion, I love seeing that in my teammates, it's just the way it was directed wasn't ideal."
Apologising for the incident, Fonua-Blake admitted he never understood the sensitivity of the words he used in his abuse aimed at the referees on Sunday.
"Growing up I sort of used the word differently, not knowing what it actually meant," he said.
"Now that I know what it actually means, I'm very apologetic. I did not mean any harm and I didn't mean to use it in a derogatory way to offend anyone."
Cherry-Evans admitted the incident has had a significant impact on the club this week ahead of their important meeting with the Dragons.
While the Sea Eagles skipper revealed he too underestimated the sensitivity around the words Fonua-Blake used and expects it to have a profound impact on players' behaviour.
"To be honest I've learnt a lot watching this unfold as to how sensitive that word is," he said.
"I definitely didn't know the impact that it has on some people so if we all had have known that and had our time again, that word wouldn't have been used.
"This is an opportunity to become aware how responsible we have to be for all of our own words."
