Warilla Gorillas star half handed year-long suspension following brain snap on football field

A promising young rugby league talent has been hit with an extraordinary suspension following a sickening incident last month. Here’s why the league is backing his redemption story.

Warilla-Lake South Gorillas star player Tyrone Roberts has been hit with a huge suspension following a judiciary hearing for his actions against Jamberoo last month.

The NSWRL handed down an 18-game ban for the incident, where Roberts was found guilty of serious striking charges and a careless high tackle.

With the Group 7 regular season running for 18 games, it is an effective year-long ban, meaning we won’t see the talented half again until midway through 2024.

Group 7 communications and operations manager Ashton Sims said it was a nasty incident for the league.

“It’s no secret that it was not a great scene there. That’s why it was referred straight to the NSWRL judiciary,” Sims said.

“Warilla were respectful and Tyrone was remorseful in there. He knows he did wrong, and that incident isn’t indicative of the true fabric of the Warilla Gorillas.

“I spoke to Tyrone. He knows what he did was wrong, and he’s held himself accountable.”

While condemning his actions, Sims said it was important to offer support to the young man as he tries to redeem himself.

“It’s no secret Tyrone has had a tough couple of months with stuff happening off the field,” Sims said.

“We don’t condone this behaviour. But before the wolves have their opinion on him, please be mindful of what this kid has experienced.

“It’s harrowing and a lot of pressure on him, and rugby league is one of his only outlets.

“He’s made a commitment to seek some help and we’re going to help him with that. If he’s committed to bettering himself, he will have the full support of the club.

“Hopefully he learns from this.”

ORIGINAL STORY

The rugby league community has been left shocked following a sickening incident on the NSW south coast at the weekend.

Gun Warilla-Lake South Gorillas five-eighth Tyrone Roberts was sent off in his side’s 30-14 loss to the Jamberoo Superoos in a moment of madness.

Roberts, a once NRL prospect in the Wests Tigers academy, has been in fine form for the Gorillas in 2023, but may be spending his season on the sidelines after a brain explosion on Saturday.

Around the 24 minute mark, Roberts hit Jamberoo Superoos lock forward Jayden Morgan with a high tackle.

Tyrone Roberts. Picture: Contributed/BarTV Sports

The two appeared to exchange words after the contact, and on the following hit up from Morgan, Roberts lashed out, making a wild swinging action towards the head of Morgan, to which the referee instantly blew for a stoppage.

That would have resulted in enough of a sanction, but Roberts then went in for another two massive swings at Morgan’s head, both connecting, before two of his teammates dragged him away.

An immediate “He’s got to go” was picked up on the referee microphone as the former-NRL prospect Roberts made the third strike attempt.

Roberts was instantly dismissed by the referee, continuing to gesture and mouth off towards the Jamberoo side as he left the field.

The incident is set to be dealt with by the NSWRL Judiciary due to its nature and is expected to take place this week.

OPINION: IT’S TIME TO GET TOUGH ON OFFENDERS

Some of the scenes we’ve witnessed in local sport in NSW over the past month have been nothing short of disgraceful.

It started a few weeks ago in Padstow as a fan entered the pitch and launched a brutal tirade on a soccer referee, rendering him with a fractured jaw and missing teeth as the incident went viral on social media.

The men’s premier league game left spectators in utter disbelief at what they had witnessed, seeing a match official battered, bruised and bloodied for simply trying to do his job.

Then at the weekend just gone, we saw an incensed attack from one player to another in a Group 7 clash in Jamberoo, as vicious and targeted swinging arms were directed at a rival in a shocking brain snap.

A soccer referee had his jaw broken in a vicious assault in Padstow last month. Picture: Supplied

This comes on the back of a Sydney junior league taking the extraordinary step of writing a public message to spectators to stop the abuse of referees and ground officials.

A mother of a parent told of the horrors of her first-year referee son being abused while refereeing under-9s games.

Enough is enough.

Men, women, boys and girls of all ages and sports have the right to participate in local sport without fear of being attacked or potentially ending up in a hospital bed.

Local sport is one of life’s great joys where everyday people can come together in a team environment to enjoy getting out with their mates, without the stresses of work and everyday life. No politics, no predispositions.

Incidents like these are enough to turn people away from sport in droves.

Who wants to run out onto the field if they’re subjected to wild haymakers?

Why would you want to become a match official when there’s a risk someone could jump the fence and viciously assault you?

The time has come for stern action on this matter before something goes horribly wrong.

Lengthy suspensions are one thing and will keep perpetrators on the sidelines for extended periods.

But clubs have to take greater responsibility and take some accountability.

Virtue signalling on social media about the need to show respect at grounds isn’t enough.

Some leagues have trialled a policy where clubs have employed a duty official to control their portion of benches and spectators with some success.

While it’s not 100 per cent guaranteed, it would be a step in the right direction that clubs want to make a real change, not just for social media likes.

Physical sports like rugby league have a tough enough time ensuring parents that their kids are safe to play at a young age, without them having further doubts on being swung at.

Leagues and clubs need to get tough on violence and abuse, and show that it has no place in local sport.