Talking Footy

Put the boot into violence
EDITORIAL: Violent blot must end
Epidemic of violence has to end now
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Call it a sucker punch

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.



 

MORE than a quarter of king hit assaults across the nation in the last seven years have been linked to the major football codes, according to a News Limited analysis.

The worrying connection has emerged as officials, coaches and parents urge everyone involved in junior sport to make sure our kids are getting the right messages about violence as soon as they first lace up their boots.

The nationwide study of 175 media reports - undertaken because official police figures do not detail if an attack was an alleged king hit - found 27 per cent cases took place during football matches, at football venues or involved people linked to a football club.

 

A sucker punch - why a 'king hit' glorifies an assault


It showed young men aged 18-23 were behind nearly half the cowardly attacks since 2005 - with those under-18 responsible for nearly one in six. Of particular concern for junior sports officials: all of these football-related alleged king hits happened on the field of play and some involved kids as young as 14.

The dire consequences of such violence were also highlighted by the figures - nearly one in ten resulted in death.

Striker wrote:

It happens in AFL too, dummies! Did you read the story?

Striker wrote:

No it's not! Read the story again!

Striker wrote:

The one you linked second! Read it again!

King-Eliagh wrote:

Shocking stuff indeed up there in Brisbane and I for one am happy the NRL has serious consequences in place for anyone who "king hits" anyone else on the RL field.

Biff on the other hand is fantastic and a large percentage of AFL and NRL fans adore it. More of it i say.