Central Coast referee bashed: Shocking photos of junior player assaulting ref, his own captain

A JUNIOR rugby league player faces police charges and a life ban for bashing a referee after being sent off in a Central Coast incident former NRL referee Shayne Hayne described as the worst he’d seen.

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A JUNIOR rugby league player is facing police charges and a life ban for bashing a referee in these shocking images of thuggery from a game last weekend.

Pictures obtained by The Daily Telegraph show the 16-year-old Wyong player attacking the referee and then assaulting his own captain who had stepped in to try to pull him away.

The incident was described as “the worst attack I’ve seen on a referee” by former NRL whistle-blower Shayne Hayne, who is now the Central Coast director of junior referees.

The Wyong player turns on his captain after attacking the referee.

Witnesses say the 21-year-old referee was twice punched in the head by a Wyong player, who has since had his player registration cancelled and will face a junior league judiciary once police complete an investigation to determine if assault charges will be laid.

Referee Shaun Greentree has been instructed not to comment on the incident according to family members contacted by The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

He suffered “a cut on his nose and a fat lip” according to Hayne.

Country Rugby League boss Terry Quinn has personally taken charge of the investigation.

“What happened is absolutely ­disgusting,” he said

“A Lakes United kid elbowed a Wyong kid and he elbowed him back.

“The referee dealt with them and sent them both off.

The Wyong player punched his captain “six or seven times”.

“The Wyong boy then just walked over and whacked the referee a couple of times.

“He tries to throw a third one but missed. His own captain came in to grab him but then he started to fight him as well.”

Quinn said the referee had been offered counselling but was coping well.

The player’s captain tries to subdue him.

The player’s captain tries to subdue him.

“He’s doing OK but we’re keeping an eye on him,” Quinn said. “He’s a good young referee with a big future.

“As for the Wyong boy, I’m sure he won’t be playing football ever again.

“We have to get a strong message out there that you can’t touch a referee at all.

“Without them we don’t have a game.”