Headbutt dad gets 10-year ban from junior games

A man has been handed a 10-year ban from attending junior rugby league games after headbutting a volunteer official at his son’s rugby league match on the northern beaches — and it’s not the only ban the man received.

A man has been handed a 10-year ban from attending junior rugby league games. Picture: Isabella Lettini

A MAN has been handed a 10-year ban from attending junior games after headbutting a volunteer official at his son’s rugby league match.

The man has also been suspended for a decade by his son’s club, the Narraweena Hawks, for injuring the official moments after the final whistle in a semi-final against the Narrabeen Sharks on August 25.

The incident took place at Newport Oval.

Police said the man, 44, of Collaroy, became upset after the official, who was a volunteer ground co-ordinator at Newport Oval, called an ambulance for the boy, who had broken his arm in two places while being tackled in the second half.

Police said the father told the official that he did not want an ambulance.

“A verbal argument between the pair started and the 44-year-old male has headbutted the man in the nose,” a spokesman said.

Witnesses said the victim, 48, was left dazed and his nose bleeding profusely after the incident, which occurred in front of dozens of spectators, including young boys.

Due to its severity, the Manly Warringah Junior Rugby League referred the incident to the NSW Junior League Association conduct review panel.

The man has been suspended for a decade by his son’s club, the Narraweena Hawks.

The father was issued with a code of conduct charge. He appeared before the panel on Wednesday night.

He was suspended from all rugby league activity for 10 years, starting from September 5.

The last five years of this penalty was suspended pending good behaviour during the first five years of the suspension.

“Essentially, he can’t attend as a spectator,” a NRL spokesman said.

As well as junior league matches, the man cannot go to schoolboy rugby league games, club heritage matches or league gala days.

Hawks’ committee spokesman Mick Covey confirmed it had suspended the man from the club for 10 years.

“While these incidents are not common, the judgment sends a clear message that violence will not be tolerated in junior rugby league and provides a benchmark by which any future incidents will be measured,” he said.