Junior league player faces life ban after punching referee and own captain

A CENTRAL Coast junior rugby league player is facing a life ban after he punched a referee twice in the head in a series of violent attacks during an under-17 trial match on Sunday.

A CENTRAL COAST junior rugby league player is facing a life ban after he punched a referee twice in the head in a series of violent attacks during a trial match on Sunday.

The 16-year-old player’s brain snap started in the 55th minute of the game when he allegedly struck the 21-year-old referee in the nose and mouth moments after being sent off the field.

Witnesses say the player threw a third punch at the referee, which missed, before he was tackled by the captain of his team.

Central Coast rugby league junior director of referees Shayne Hayne said the “out-of-control” player then punched his own team’s captain “six or seven times” as attempts were made to subdue the youth.

“The young referee, who has spoken with police today about the matter, has suffered a cut on his nose and a fat lip in the worst attack I’ve seen on a referee since I arrived on the Coast in 2000,” Mr Hayne, a former top NRL referee, said.

“The referee, who is a rising star in our ranks, has spoken to both captains after the incident, which ended after coaches and officials came onto the field to help out, and then called the game off.”

Former leading NRL referee Shayne Hayne says the 21-year-old who was punched twice in the head yesterday during an under-17 match on the Central Coast, is a rising star in the refereeing ranks.

A spokesman for the player’s club said the offending player, who copped his marching orders for retaliating against an opponent (who was also sent off) with the use of a forearm, deserved to be slapped with a life ban.

“The Country Rugby League needs to come down hard on this player,” he said. “Our club has a zero tolerance against this type of behaviour.”

CRL regional area manager Keith Onslow said the incident was now under investigation and a date had yet to be set for a judiciary hearing.

“This is a totally unsavoury and ugly incident, and our concerns at the moment are with the young referee,” Mr Onslow said.

Bulldogs forward David Klemmer has been charged over making contact with referee Ben Cummins in his side’s clash with Penrith Panthers last Thursday night. Picture: AAP Image/nrl.com, Nine Network

The Central Coast incident comes after Bulldogs player David Klemmer was charged with grade-two contrary conduct for putting his hand on the chest of referee Ben Cummins in his side’s NRL win against Penrith last Thursday.

Brisbane’s James Roberts was late today slapped with a grade-one charge for referee contact in the clash with the Warriors on Friday night.