‘Blood everywhere’: Investigations launched after police called to Manly SG Ball brawl
South Sydney officials were forced to call police to a brawl that erupted at a junior representative game at Erskineville Oval on Saturday involving a Manly junior player and a spectator.
The incident also saw one of the Sea Eagles players run from the bench to the tunnel area, engaging in a verbal exchange with former Manly player John Hopoate about the incident.
NSWRL boss Dave Trodden says the incident is under investigation.Credit:NRL Photos
The Herald can reveal the Sea Eagles and NSWRL are investigating the incident, which witnesses say left one of the men with a “ripped shirt and blood everywhere”.
Another eyewitness said the incident was “sickening”, with one of the men on the ground suffering repeated kicks to the head.
The fight involving a Manly junior player and a spectator is the latest in a long line of incidents at junior rugby league matches.Credit:
Sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed Souths officials called Mascot police to attend the scene but by the time officers arrived, the two men involved in the brawl had left the ground.
Witnesses have told the Herald that a member of Manly’s Jersey Flegg team was watching the clash when a fellow spectator – who was at the ground to support a friend in the Manly team – approached him.
Witnesses say the incident turned physical, causing one current Sea Eagles SG Ball player to leave the bench and rush to the aid of his friend.
Manly chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed the incident when contacted by the Herald and will hold interviews with the relevant parties on Monday.
“I’ve been made aware of an incident at a junior reps trial match on the weekend at Erskineville Oval,” Humphreys said.
“We’re gathering all necessary information, we will interview the necessary people.
“Once we’ve got all the necessary information, we will talk to South Sydney and the NSWRL. Once we will have all the information, if there is any action for us to take, we will consider that at the time.”
Controversial former Manly star Hopoate was another spectator in attendance at Erskineville Oval and moved to intervene.
Humphreys said Hopoate was not involved in the fight.
“From the eyewitness accounts that I have received, John was only trying to bring some calm to the situation. He’s in no way responsible for any inappropriate action,” Humphreys said.
John Hopoate was present at the SG Ball match.Credit:Brendan Esposito
NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden also confirmed an investigation would begin on Monday.
“I was made aware of an incident that occurred in the crowd at an SG Ball trial between South Sydney and Manly at Erskineville Oval,” Trodden told the Herald.
“From the reports I received, police were called, but the fight had dispersed by the time they arrived.
“As far as I have been told no charges were made. I’m awaiting a full report of the circumstances on Monday, and we’ll go through the incident.”
A camera was understood to be at the ground on Saturday for judiciary purposes, but it’s not yet clear whether the brawl was caught on film.
The fight is the latest in a long line of nasty incidents at junior rugby league matches.
Last year, two Queensland men faced deportation after being accused of taking part in a “feeding frenzy” assault on a fellow spectator.
The attack occurred at an under-13 match at Wynnum, in Brisbane’s south-east, on Mother’s Day, and left a 35-year-old father with significant facial injuries.
In 2020, Cronulla Sutherland Junior Rugby League teams Como-Jannali and Engadine Dragons were banned from the Emerging Cup following an incident at Anzac Oval in Engadine.
In that instance, NSWRL issued a no policy approach to the investigation.
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