....a sad day for junior league
MORE than 50 players and parents were involved in a sickening brawl during a junior rugby league game yesterday, in which first aid officers had their heads stomped on by parents.
Rugby league endured some of its most shameful scenes, as the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League grand final day descended into violent chaos that required police intervention.
There were two separate brawls involving parents, one in an under-15 final, the other in an under-18 final both played at Wests Centenary ground in Wacol.
The second incident was so frightening it has even prompted calls for fences to lock parents out of future grand final days.
The second brawl occurred moments after the hooter sounded in the Waterford v Redcliffe under-18 grand final.
Coach of the Redcliffe team Leon Cherry, uncle of NRL star Daly Cherry-Evans, said it was the most horrendous thing he had witnessed during 35 years involved in the game.
"The image I can't get out my head is when I was signing the game sheet, I turned around to see one my players king hit then kicked while he was on the ground. A safety officer jumped in to help him and he was knocked to the ground and had his head stomped on while laying on my player," Cherry said.
"Parents rushed the field. They targeted my players, just attacked them for no reason.
"There would have been 50 or more people involved in the brawl.
"I'm absolutely disgusted with Waterford and what those parents did.
"There should be minimum five year bans handed out to a number of players from Waterford.
"I'm amazed that no one was seriously injured."
Cherry said the fight occurred because Waterford, who had defeated Redcliffe easily in each of their encounters this season, could not handle losing.
"Our guys defended themselves and threw some punches no doubt but half as many as they did and only to protect themselves," Cherry said.
"I honestly think we should consider erecting fences around the ground to lock out parents from grand final days."
The event was supposed to be the highlight of the rugby league season, featuring hundreds of kids from across Brisbane seeking premiership glory.
There were several Brisbane Broncos players in attendance including winger Dale Copley, who used Twitter to vent his shock at witnessing the under-15 brawl.
"Parents running onto the field fighting at junior rugby league... Really?#disgrace" he wrote.
"Should be banned from junior footy forever."
The Queensland Rugby League will launch a full investigation tomorrow.
A police spokesperson confirmed they were called to the field after a "massive brawl" took place.
"We arrived on the scene but the offenders had left, we patrolled the area to ensure nothing else happened," police said.
Police said no formal complaints had been made at this stage.
Ambulances were also called to the scene but no one was taken to hospital.
Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League operations manager Shane McNally confirmed the brawl broke out at the Wacol field and said officials were helpless if spectators did not follow the rules
"Unfortunately we don't have the control, we cannot be around the fence and stop people from jumping," Mr McNally said.
"People think they have a right to participate in sport, we are looking to take that privilege away from people who behave inappropriately.
"If people are going to go to matches and behave violently than we have to stop then we have to find ways to stop them from coming."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...rupts-into-brawl/story-fndo1yus-1226474871274
MORE than 50 players and parents were involved in a sickening brawl during a junior rugby league game yesterday, in which first aid officers had their heads stomped on by parents.
Rugby league endured some of its most shameful scenes, as the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League grand final day descended into violent chaos that required police intervention.
There were two separate brawls involving parents, one in an under-15 final, the other in an under-18 final both played at Wests Centenary ground in Wacol.
The second incident was so frightening it has even prompted calls for fences to lock parents out of future grand final days.
The second brawl occurred moments after the hooter sounded in the Waterford v Redcliffe under-18 grand final.
Coach of the Redcliffe team Leon Cherry, uncle of NRL star Daly Cherry-Evans, said it was the most horrendous thing he had witnessed during 35 years involved in the game.
"The image I can't get out my head is when I was signing the game sheet, I turned around to see one my players king hit then kicked while he was on the ground. A safety officer jumped in to help him and he was knocked to the ground and had his head stomped on while laying on my player," Cherry said.
"Parents rushed the field. They targeted my players, just attacked them for no reason.
"There would have been 50 or more people involved in the brawl.
"I'm absolutely disgusted with Waterford and what those parents did.
"There should be minimum five year bans handed out to a number of players from Waterford.
"I'm amazed that no one was seriously injured."
Cherry said the fight occurred because Waterford, who had defeated Redcliffe easily in each of their encounters this season, could not handle losing.
"Our guys defended themselves and threw some punches no doubt but half as many as they did and only to protect themselves," Cherry said.
"I honestly think we should consider erecting fences around the ground to lock out parents from grand final days."
The event was supposed to be the highlight of the rugby league season, featuring hundreds of kids from across Brisbane seeking premiership glory.
There were several Brisbane Broncos players in attendance including winger Dale Copley, who used Twitter to vent his shock at witnessing the under-15 brawl.
"Parents running onto the field fighting at junior rugby league... Really?#disgrace" he wrote.
"Should be banned from junior footy forever."
The Queensland Rugby League will launch a full investigation tomorrow.
A police spokesperson confirmed they were called to the field after a "massive brawl" took place.
"We arrived on the scene but the offenders had left, we patrolled the area to ensure nothing else happened," police said.
Police said no formal complaints had been made at this stage.
Ambulances were also called to the scene but no one was taken to hospital.
Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League operations manager Shane McNally confirmed the brawl broke out at the Wacol field and said officials were helpless if spectators did not follow the rules
"Unfortunately we don't have the control, we cannot be around the fence and stop people from jumping," Mr McNally said.
"People think they have a right to participate in sport, we are looking to take that privilege away from people who behave inappropriately.
"If people are going to go to matches and behave violently than we have to stop then we have to find ways to stop them from coming."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...rupts-into-brawl/story-fndo1yus-1226474871274
