Calls for Souths Inala Warriors to be barred after league referee kicked in throat in alleged footy field rage

A southside rugby league club is under investigation and a player sidelined after a referee was kicked in the throat, landing him in hospital for two days.

Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association referee Brian Roper was hospitalised after being kicked in the throat during a footy match he was umpiring at Acacia Ridge on April 1, 2023.

A rugby league referee has been kicked in the neck after blowing a penalty with less than a minute to play in a park footy game on the weekend.

Brian Roper was officiating a game between Dayboro and Souths Inala Warriors when he blew a penalty with 50 seconds to go in the game, the next thing the experienced ref knew, a player had kicked him in the throat and a teenage touch judge was physically assaulted, it will be alleged.

Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association and police are investigating the incident.

Queensland Rugby League and Rugby League Brisbane have sidelined a Souths Inala player, while the investigation is being conducted.

Rugby league referee Brian Roper was kicked in the throat while umpiring a game at Acacia Ridge between Dayboro and Souths Inala Warriors, he was hospitalised for two nights. Picture: Contributed

The Saturday afternoon match was abandoned before the full-time siren when Mr Roper dropped to his knees after copping the kick to the throat, which put him in hospital for two nights.

Mr Roper, who has been a referee for more than 19 years, suffered cuts and bruises to his larynx, which swelled up making it difficult for him to breathe and was admitted to Logan Hospital, where he underwent a CT brain scan and was kept for two nights.

The 54-year-old had called a penalty against Souths Inala with 50 seconds in the game to go when he felt a kick to his neck.

“I never saw it coming and copped it in the neck,” he said.

“While I was on the ground I saw the feet of the players coming towards me and thought ‘holy sh--, they are going to kick me in the head’.

“That’s when two trainers from the Dayboro team came and got me and dragged me off the field as quickly as possible.

“It is the only time I have really been frightened doing my job.

“I don’t care who wins or loses a game — referees can only adjudicate on the rules and what is before us.”

Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association referee Brian Roper was hospitalised after being kicked in the throat during a footy match at Acacia Ridge on April 1, 2023.

Mr Roper said he did not want young teenage referees to be deterred by the incident and called on team coaches to “weed out bad eggs”.

A teen touch judge, who was also on field for the game at Acacia Ridge’s Brandon Park, was also allegedly physically and verbally assaulted as he ran to Mr Roper’s aid.

Video footage of the game, which is mandatory under Rugby League Brisbane protocol, was unavailable.

Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association president Alan Reese confirmed a police investigation was under way and the matter was being dealt with before a QRL and Rugby League Brisbane judiciary.

“The last time a referee was assaulted on a football field in Brisbane was 23 years ago and the QRL, Rugby League Brisbane and the Referees Association are doing everything in their power to ensure that type of assault never happens again,” he said.

“I am aware of the rumours for calls for Souths Inala to be removed from the competition but any decision will be up to the QRL and the RLB.

“The association is not concerned for its refs and I am not pushing for anything apart from a fair judgment.”

The QRL and RLB judiciary would also be investigating stepping up safety measures at some grounds where there were traditionally only two duty officials on the field for each match.

Calls to Souths Inala Rugby League Club went unanswered and the club was unable to provide video footage of the match or the incident.

Police said no charges had been laid but were investigating the complaint.

Originally published as Calls for Souths Inala Warriors to be barred after league referee kicked in throat in alleged footy field rage