A wild brawl broke out during a junior rugby league match in Brisbane, with officials including NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo calling for swift, decisive action against those involved.
Shocked onlookers, including many parents, were head crying out during the incident, with one person heard screaming “this is a f***ing kids game”.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
It’s understood the fight, which was between a linesman and a coach, may have been sparked by the touchline official not wearing shoes, as reported by The Courier Mail.
It all happened during an Under-11s game between the Redcliffe Dolphins and North Devils on April 30.
“A parent had a go at him (the linesman) and there’s been a (reaction),” a Dolphins source said.
Former Dolphins premiership player Darren Smallhorne said he was shocked and disgusted at the incident and called for hefty penalties.
“It’s very poor and disappointing behaviour and not something we need in junior rugby league,” he said.
“There needs to be heavy punishment and I’m sure there will be for those involved.”
Smallhorne, who coaches the Dolphins U18s and whose son plays in the U15s, said many people in the club were upset that the U11s players had been stood down from games while an investigation took place.
“Why should the kids miss out on playing football because of the bad behaviour of a couple of adults?” he said.
The Queensland Rugby League has launched an investigation, with league chairman Bruce Hatcher warning that life bans were “absolutely” an option.
The NRL is aware of the incident and is fully backing any action taken by the QRL.
“Any form of violence in our game is always unacceptable,” Abdo told News Corp.
“The Queensland Rugby League will look into this and take appropriate action.”
This is far from the first incident of its kind in junior rugby league in Queensland.
A dad was left needing surgery after a brawl erupted between spectators at an under-13s match between Wynnum Manly and Logan Brothers in 2021.
The QRL has also handed out life bans in the past, including to a 16-year-old boy who attacked a 15-year-old with an umbrella at a game at Ipswich in 2011.
In 2012, 56 players were banned – one for life – over a wild junior grand final brawl at Wacol.
Thirteen spectators and a runner were banned for a total of 41 years after another violent clash at an U15s rugby league grand final in Townsville in 2015, with players involved copping a combined 31 weeks of suspensions.
More recently in the round-ball code, a man was arrested for attacking a referee in Sydney’s southwest. That incident made headlines around the world and led the Bankstown Amateur Football Association to introduce new powers to protect referees.
A parent of one of the players involved in the U11 incident in Brisbane, who wished to remain anonymous, said the tension between the Redcliffe Dolphins coach and the North Devils touch judge was “building” throughout the game.
“I was bringing back the tee when I look to my left and see the coach and the touch judge going blow for blow, they were just having a real punch-up,” he said.
“Once it started going everyone was getting involved and I just remembered thinking ‘what is going on?’.
“My 11-year-old son was watching it and at first he said to me that the touch judge deserved it, like kids do, but come the Monday he was a bit rattled and shaken up.
“As a coach you learn to block out the noise, it’s just a disgusting act. So unacceptable.”
The men involved in the incident can be heard screaming profanities at each other while bystanders attempt to pull them apart.
A spokesman from the Queensland Rugby League confirmed they were handling the incident and an investigation into the circumstances of the brawl had been commenced.
“Both teams were stood down on the day and missed one game each. They will be back playing this Sunday,” he said.
Police said they attended the event but no formal complaint was made.
