Racial vilification reared its ugly head in the NRL with Parramatta forward Dean Widders accusing South Sydney captain Bryan Fletcher of making a racial slur against him during the match at Parramatta Stadium.

On what was meant to be a day of celebrations for the Aboriginal community with the start of National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week, Widders claimed Fletcher directed a derogatory comment towards him in the second half of the match won by the Eels 52-16.

Souths chief executive Shane Richardson said the club would wait until the dust had settled before taking any action.

"We take those sort of things very, very seriously," Richardson said.

"We'll talk to Fletcher, examine what the situation is and then we'll respond accordingly, but it's a very, very big thing racial vilification and we will take it very very seriously."

Widders, an Aboriginal footballer from Armidale in northern NSW, did not make a formal complaint to the referee or the NRL, but told Eels chief executive Dennis Fitzgerald about the incident.

"Dean Widders took offence at a remark said on the field by Bryan Fletcher," Fitzgerald said.

"Dean's initial reaction was to go right on with it with a complaint."

The alleged incident occurred after Fletcher had made a tackle on Widders, followed by a bit of a push and shove between the two.

Fitzgerald said the club had endeavoured to have a meeting between Widders and Fletcher but Widders declined.

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