Junior rugby league player who punched a referee also alleged to have smeared blood on the face of a rival player

A JUNIOR rugby league player who punched a referee and his own captain was also alleged to have smeared blood on the face of a rival player.

A brawl during a junior rugby league match between Wyong and Lakes United. The Wyong player attacks the referee and his captain.

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A JUNIOR rugby league player who punched a referee and his own captain during a weekend game was also alleged to have smeared blood from his nose on to the face of a rival player.

The shocking new claims come just a day after The Daily Telegraph published photos of the teenager’s act of thuggery during a game between Wyong and Lakes United.

Country Rugby League officials confirmed a Lakes United player had fronted the judiciary on Monday night to make the claims.

A brawl during a junior rugby league match between Wyong and Lakes United.

But a CRL spokesman said there was not enough photographic evidence to confirm the allegations.

The Daily Telegraph understands the Lakes United player, who received a one-match suspension for his part in the melee, has since undergone blood tests, and will not be allowed return to the field until those results are made known.

Players and coaches from both clubs were left stunned, while 21-year-old referee Shaun Greentree is said to have been advised by his family members not to comment.

While police conduct their own investigations, an eyewitness, speaking on the basis of anonymity, gave The Daily Telegraph a gritty account of what sparked the horror scenes.

The witness claimed the Wyong player became aggressive when his nose was bloodied in the tackle.

“This kid has made a tackle on the Lakes United player, but while he had him on the ground held his forearm across the kid’s throat,’’ the eyewitness said.

The player’s captain tries to subdue him.

The player’s captain tries to subdue him.

“The Lakes United player couldn’t breathe, so he’s lashed out with his hand and got the Wyong player in the nose. His nose started to bleed, and when the Lakes United player stood up to play the ball, the Wyong player has got a hand full of blood and smeared it in the kid’s face.

“That’s what started the push and shove. The Wyong kid was later called out by the referee, and that’s when he hit him.’’

CRL operations manager Bert Lowrie said: “We don’t have any vision to go on but if there were allegations out there that a player has wiped his own blood on another player and there are witnesses, it is something we will obviously investigate.’’

Stunned players from both sides remained on the field, and were addressed by officials from both clubs.

There was no reference to the Wyong player smearing blood on his opponent’s face in the official ground manager’s report.

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

The CRL will wait for police to complete their own investigation before the Wyong teenager has his own case heard.

A proud rugby league region, the Central Coast fraternity will be embarrassed by the brutal act, with the graphic images a shocking look for the code.

It came in the same week the NRL tried to send a message to players that whistleblowers were off-limits. David Klemmer fronted the NRL judiciary last night to fight a possible two-match ban for brushing the chest of referee Ben Cummins.

Former NRL whistleblower Shayne Hayne, who is now the Central Coast director of junior referees, described the weekend act as “the worst attack I’ve seen on a referee”.