Ex-NRL star Andrew Fifita reveals vile racism, slams Central Coast Rugby League

Ex-NRL star Andrew Fifita has opened up on the abuse he received at a country rugby league game and on social media, firing up at the Central Coast Rugby League for failing to call out the alleged racism.

Former Test star Andrew Fifita is “filthy” at being racially abused in a country rugby league game last weekend and insists the perpetrator is the same man who has targeted him with vile names on social media.

And Fifita revealed he had been urged to take out an AVO after receiving death threats from the man.

Woy Woy prop Fifita has taken a hefty shot at the Central Coast Rugby League for failing to identify alleged racism in a media statement after an ugly brawl between players and fans from rivals clubs Woy Woy and Wyong last weekend.

A former Cronulla premiership-winning player, Fifita said the melee behind the grandstand after full-time was caused after he was allegedly racially vilified continually by the same Wyong fan during the game.

Fifita was in the dressing room post-game and wasn’t in any way involved in the brawl.

He said the same man was responsible for sending him vulgar messages through multiple social media platforms where the ex-NSW prop was labelled a “fat, old, lazy, weak, black, putrid a.. dog” and an “a.. c..”

Andrew Fifita has fired up at the Central Coast Rugby League for failing to identify alleged racism in a media statement after an ugly brawl. Picture: Sue Graham

One message stated: “No wonder ya kids get stolen u c..n dog. I’l (sic) be seeing u asap. F... you and your whole team.”

After hearing the alleged abuse, Woy Woy players and fans confronted the man and a fight broke out which is now being investigated by police and the NSWRL.

A rubber ball was thrown during the game which struck Fifita’s daughter.

Central Coast Rugby League chairman Nathan Waugh sent out a media release stating Woy Woy fans would be banned from attending Sunday’s match against Terrigal at Woy Woy Oval.

Fifita is furious Waugh’s media statement failed to acknowledge that alleged racism triggered the fight.

“That was the worst I have ever copped. Literally. We’re copping death threats, everything under the sun,” Fifita said. “It was awful to see their statement come out with nothing in there to do with racism.

“In this day and age, no-one is going to sit back and listen to that garbage. We don’t need this in our game – that’s my main message. You can see that (anti-racism) through the NRL but it needs to be through our grassroots as well.

“There are a lot of indigenous people around Woy Woy. If he’s going to yell out racial slurs then he has it coming to him. He got asked to leave. The crowd heard what we said. That’s why they waited for him.

“If there’s no racism, there’s no fight. For me and my club, they are making us look like idiots, that we’ve gone outside and had a brawl. Someone should explain what actually happened.

Andrew Fifita has shared some of the vile, racist abuse he has received. Picture: Instagram

Fifita insists the alleged perpetrator is the same person who allegedly racially abused him in a country rugby league game last weekend. Picture: Instagram

“I didn’t see the fight, I was in the sheds, but I’ve seen the videos. Those indigenous boys that did it, there’s a reason why. I’m filthy. I went above the Central Coast Rugby League to the NSWRL. Central Coast were too worried about the brawl, I’m more worried about the abuse I copped.

“The media release was bullshit. It had nothing to do with racism. That’s the worst thing for me. It’s appalling. We will put them in their place, they can’t avoid this.

“All they’re worried about is this brawl. I couldn’t give a rat’s arse about the brawl, I’m more worried about my teammates and everything else that is going on.

“I won’t stand back and let my players get racially abused. I want to speak up. You can’t be screaming racial slurs at people. The only team that is suffering at the moment is my team. What he (the fan) said was abusive and uncalled for. This is wrong. They want me to take an AVO against him but it’s not in my DNA, I don’t need to.

“He (Waugh) is meant to be the President of the Central Coast division but this is a kick in the face for me. The racism is bigger than the brawl, especially around Reconciliation Week and coming up to NAIDOC week.

“We (Woy Woy) are copping punishment for something, they have handled it really (poorly). It should be Wyong copping it, not us.”

Fifita says he is more concerned about the abuse he receives than the brawl. Picture: Instagram

This masthead has seen the messages and knows the offender’s identity.

“At the moment, NSWRL is actively investigating those details and I believe they are aware of those allegations. My understanding is that a fair chunk of that is occurring (on Thursday),” Waugh said.

“Ultimately, the decision to remove the spectators at this stage was to essentially calm the situation for this weekend and allow the process to take place with regards to the police investigation that is underway and the investigations that NSWRL are doing.

“I fully expect players and those offenders to be identified over the next few days and charges to be laid, be it (under the) code of conduct or police charges if the police believe they have enough evidence.

“Our board is just making sure that, moving forward, everyone feels they can play within a safe environment on the weekends and I’m more than happy to have a chat with Andrew Fifita about his concerns. That’s not a problem.”

Asked whether racism prompted the brawl, Waugh said: “I’ve got no details in and around that at the moment. I’m playing with the information I have in front of me and ultimately I’m leaving it with the NSWRL, they handle the judicial processes.”