Ugly moment parents clash in heated fight at under-nines rugby league game as stunned children look on
Ugly moment parents clash in heated battle at under nines rugby league match as stunned kids watch
- Parents clashed in ugly scenes during an under nines rugby league match
- The incident occurred Friday night in Townsville during a game
- A concerned parent said it was “just not on.”
A group of parents in Townsville were involved in a nasty collision during an under-nines rugby league game, while their stunned children watched.
A concerned parent told me News Corp that the behavior – involving a number of parents in a shoving contest in the middle of the playing field – was “simply out of the question.”
On Friday Souths RLFC and Brothers Townsville RLFC faced each other in a mixed boys and girls match at 7pm.
The match took place at the Townsville and District Rugby League grounds in Kirwan.
However, the game was abandoned after about 30 fathers took the field. The concerned parent claimed that he saw another parent being kicked to the ground and beaten.
Parents clashed in ugly scenes at a kids’ rugby league game in Townsville
“You had several skirmishes. Children don’t have to witness violence,” he said.
“I’m really mad at the parents.”
The ugly scenes were fueled by a father entering the field to stop two players from arguing and pushing a child to the ground. The referee was 13 years old.
Footage from the incident shows a child crying as a woman says “that’s why we’re not fighting, mate.” About nine men are seen fighting yards away.
Queensland Police confirmed that no incidents had been reported, while Rugby League Townsville and District Chairman Roger Whyte condemned the conduct and confirmed that a ‘rigorous’ investigation was underway.
As a result, parents run the risk of being excluded from attending matches.
“We don’t tolerate bad behaviour,” Whyte said.
Brothers Townsville chairman Jeff Doyle said, “Until I understand the full outcome of it or what happened, I wouldn’t be able to comment much.”