Rugby League Central Coast: Top talking points from round eight

In a game that featured sideline brawls and a thrilling finish, the highlight was a brilliant shootout between two ex-NRL stars.

Wyong returned to the winner’s circle in round eight. Picture: Julian Andrews

With off-field scandals and on-field thrillers, there was the good, the bad and the ugly during a big weekend of footy in the Rugby League Central Coast competitions.

Check out some of the top talking points below.

PROBE LAUNCHED AFTER BRAWL

In investigation has been launched after a brawl broke out on the sidelines. Picture: Supplied

Unfortunately the biggest story of the weekend didn’t even take place on the field, with New South Wales Rugby League opening an investigation into an ugly brawl that broke that out on the sidelines of Kincumber’s clash with Ourimbah at MacKillop Oval on Sunday afternoon.

Footage showed shows a female club official from Kincumber and a man, believed to be an Ourimbah supporter, engaged in some push and shove on the sidelines.

The situation then escalated rapidly as the man was dragged to the ground from behind, with other people running in to support him. A series of punches were thrown as dozens of people were drawn into the fight.

The incident was so serious that it forced play in the first grade game to be paused for five minutes.

“It’s an ugly incident and we never want to see that at any rugby league game or any community level sport,” said RLCC board chairman Nathan Waugh. “It’s unfortunate and ultimately we would expect that there would be consequences for this involved.”

It is understood that no one was seriously injured in the incident.

EX-NRL STARS PUT ON A SHOW

David Fifita was outstanding in Kincumber’s thrilling win over Ourimbah. Picture: Sue Graham

The brawl cast a shadow over what was a fantastic game of football between the Colts and the Magpies.

And while Kincumber scored two late tries to prevail 24-20, arguably the biggest highlight was the shootout between two of the competition’s biggest names in former NRL stars James Maloney and David Fifita, who were both outstanding for their respective sides.

It all started in just the sixth minute when Maloney put up a towering bomb that forced an error out of the Colts and led to the first try of the match for Ourimbah.

Fifita then hit back with interest for Kincumber, firstly making a break up field that led to a try to Kyle Whitton, before crashing over himself to put the Colts up 12-6 midway through the first half.

It seemed that just about everything for Ourimbah was going through 39-year-old Maloney, who kicked well to the corners, was guiding the team around the park and had a hand in the team’s third try.

James Maloney was brilliant as Ourimbah pushed the Colts all the way. Picture: Sue Graham

Still showing plenty of guile to break through the line, the two-time NRL premiership winner then pulled off a quick play-the-ball that directly led to a try to Max Mitchell and put the Magpies up 18-14 with just over 20 minutes to go.

Maloney was also doing the business at the other end, winding back the clock to run 60m towards his own goal line to take a dangerous kick and snuff out a Kincumber attacking raid.

It looked as though the Ourimbah man was going to get bragging rights until Fifita took matters into his own hands with about 10 minutes remaining. The big backrower made yet another huge break up field before backing up on the next play to score his second and bring the Colts back to within two points.

It provided the side with plenty of momentum as they went the length of the field in the next set to score again through young fullback Sean Bullen to claim a dramatic win.

WOY WOY HORROR SHOW CONTINUES

Joe Williams joins the long injury list for Woy Woy. Picture: Sue Graham

It was certainly bittersweet for Woy Woy over the weekend, with the Roosters defeating Terrigal 42-18 but suffering another two key injury blows.

Winger Joe Williams was forced from the field with what is believed to be a serious knee injury while five-eighth Kieran Diamond broke his ankle.

They join a plethora of teammates on what is an extended injury list that includes skipper Luke Moore, who suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in the rescheduled round three clash at the beginning of June.

Others like Lima Teaupa and Vondell Williams-Liolevave have also missed large chunks of the season, which has placed a significant strain on player numbers throughout the club.

“Our reggies only went out there with 13 or 14 as it is,” said coach Blake McLean. “We’re struggling with numbers a bit at the club so it’ll be all hands on deck for the next few weeks.”

To address the situation, Woy Woy is looking for new recruits to help fill the void, with former Manly lower grader Jayden Horo making his debut for the club on Sunday.

“We signed Jayden Horo for this game, he’s a good player, we were lucky to get him,” said McLean.

“But we’re going to have to try and boost the ranks a bit. We’ll probably have to look in Sydney or a bit further north, but we’ll have to go on the hunt in the open market to try and find a few more players.”