Noah Blooranta, Mareeba teen, recovering after ‘dog shot’ lands rising league star in hospital

The player who delivered the horrific late hit on a teenager will have his fate decided by a Queensland Rugby League tribunal after being referred straight to the judiciary. See the hit that has landed him in hot water.

The Yarrabah youngster at the centre of a late hit which has caused an uproar in rugby league circles has been referred directly to the judiciary.

Teenage Mareeba halfback Noah Blooranta was knocked out after copping what appeared to be an elbow to the back of his head while scoring a try about 20 minutes into Friday night’s A-grade clash at Davies Park.

Before he could get to his feet, Yarrabah defender Thauki Satrick clocked the back of his head with a vicious shot which knocked out the 17-year-old and has potentially ended his season.

Satrick fronted a tribunal on Thursday, with the talented forward copping a monster ban for the incident.

Blooranta regained his feet and walked assisted from the field about two minutes after the contact.

But it’s understood the young rising star suffered delayed concussion symptoms, including memory loss, in the half-hour after the incident and was taken to hospital, where he stayed until early the next morning.

Noah Blooranta captained Peninsula earlier this year and, inset, moments before impact.

Satrick is facing an extended stint on the sideline for the contact, which went directly before a Queensland Rugby League tribunal.

The FNQRL will not comment on the incident until it goes through the judicial process.

It’s understood Satrick is distraught over the incident, and its aftermath, with Yarrabah players and officials getting around the rising second-row talent who is in the sights of higher-level teams.

Satrick played for the Northern Pride’s Hastings Deering Colts team this year, and is blessed with size, strength, quality footwork close to the line and can hit like a freight train in defence.

He was also featured in this masthead’s list of 70 young talents on track for the NRL.

One source told this masthead he was a gentle giant who had never been sent off in his years playing rugby league.

But the shocking incident has attracted calls for a long ban, with some on social media calling for huge bans lasting into the years.

He is one of five Yarrabah players who appeared on the charge sheet out of the fiery last-round clash, which Mareeba won 36-28 to qualify for the post-season.

Veteran half Charles Murgha is facing three weeks for contrary conduct, which resulted in his being sent to the sin bin in the final few minutes at Davies Park, while Sam Bann, Hayden Golchert and Jack Aniba are facing two weeks each for separate dangerous throw incidents.

EARLIER

The Mareeba teen who was the victim of what was described by one long-serving rugby league official as a “disgraceful dog shot” is on the road to recovery.

Noah Blooranta was knocked out after copping what appeared to be an elbow to the back of his head while scoring a try about 20 minutes into Friday night’s A-grade clash at Davies Park.

Before he could get to his feet, Yarrabah defender Thauki Satrick clocked the back of his head with a vicious shot which knocked out the 17-year-old and has potentially ended his season.

Satrick is awaiting his rugby league fate, with the charge sheet set to be handed down by Tuesday evening.

It’s likely the second-rower will be referred directly to the judiciary.

Blooranta is on the road to recovery having overcome some of the intial shock, and he has had a groundswell of support on social media, which attracted the best and worst of reaction.

Of the near 250 reactions to a post published on Monday afternoon, 34 reacted with the laugh emoji - including several Yarrabah players.

Many condemned the incident.

Damien Kelly wrote that he believed the player should face a long term ban.

“Dog act and should be stood down or suspended for 1-2 years,” he wrote.

“And the club should be penalised as well. There is no place for cheap shots and this rubbish in any level of the game.

“It starts at grass roots. QRL and NRL want to clean the game up, it starts here.”

Jonah Pau concurred.

“Ban the dog for life and if you think this is okay you’re just as dumb as this idiot,” he wrote.

Carina Langton added: “This is why I won’t let me son play, way too many head injuries.”

Jan Tunnie questioned where sportsmanship had gone in the game.

“Why can’t players play in the spirit of the game instead of pulling disgraceful shots on opposing players,” Tunnie wrote.

“Where has sportsmanship gone (?) Hope young Noah recovers as had promising future ahead of him.”

For some, it was the clear evidence why they will think long and hard about putting their children into the sport.

“As much as I love footy and played when I was young, this is why I’ll never let my kids play,” Steve Grasso said.

Vee Enoch sympathised with the youngster and wished him well in his recovery.

“It’s the chances you take when you play any contact sport,” she wrote.

“No matter if it late , head high or anything. It’s a risk you take.

“Unfortunately it is what it is. Wishing him a speedy recovery.”

THE INCIDENT

A Mareeba teenager faced an uncertain future after what was described by one long-serving rugby league official as a “disgraceful dog shot” that left the Gladiators playmaker in hospital.

It was the worst of multiple potentially serious incidents in the game, with at least two dangerous throw incidents by other Yarrabah players put on report in the first half hour as the teams played for their finals future.

It comes in the same week an ugly brawl erupted and led to altercations between the crowd and players during a game in Toowoomba.

Yarrabah's Thauki Satrick just moments before the hit on Mareeba's Noah Blooranta.

One of the young, rising stars coming out of Mareeba, Blooranta is nearing the end of an outstanding season during which he was a key player for the Northern Pride’s Mal Meninga Cup side before Mareeba’s march to the under-18s minor premiership.

Elevated into the A-grade side in recent weeks, Blooranta has shown the class which has him pegged as one of the premier halfbacks in the region.

But the shocking incident during what was a sudden death shoot-out for the sixth and last spot in the FNQRL A-grade finals sent Blooranta to hospital with little recollection of events.

One long-term rugby league official described the incident as the “most disgraceful dog shot I’ve ever seen”.

Emotions were high in the sudden death shoot-out, and less than two minutes earlier the Seahawks were penalised while in possession for shoving a Mareeba defender off a tackled player.

Noah Blooranta, seconed from the left in the front row, captained Peninsula at the state championships earlier this year. Picture: Evan Morgan

Yarrabah players protested the call, with captain Hayden Golchert and former state league star Hezron Murgha among those who argued their case with the match official.

The call stood, and after five-eighth Trezman Banjo kicked to touch, a reminder about crowd behaviour blared out over the Davies Park speakers.

Under the Queensland Rugby League’s Positive Environment Program, clubs can lose competition points or be stood down for incidents on and off the field, which extends to the conduct of supporters.

A a few plays later, Blooranta saw clear space to the try line and dived over to put his side up 14-6.

Before he could get to his feet, Yarrabah defender Thauki Satrick clocked the back of his head with a vicious shot which knocked out the 17-year-old and has potentially ended his season.

Blooranta laid motionless and was immediately surrounded by concerned teammates who signalled for help from the bench.

The young halfback received treatment, slowly regained his feet and walked off the field about two minutes later, with Satrick sent off.

It’s understood Blooranta was taken to hospital, where he stayed until his release early Saturday morning.

Mareeba players signal to the bench for help after Noah Blooranta was hit while scoring a try.

Mareeba president Darren Hastie did not want to comment on the incident until after it was reviewed and the judiciary process took its course.

It’s understood the incident will be reviewed on Monday or Tuesday, with the weekly charge sheet generally released by Tuesday evening.

Hastie described Blooranta as a quality young footballer, and was upset at how it unfolded.

“He’s a valued member of our teams,” Hastie said.

“I’m upset for the kid - he might have lost his opportunity to play semi final footy for the seniors and under-18s.

“It’s upsetting and disappointing for him.

“We’ll rally around him but hopefully he will be okay, and he can come back to footy.

“But we’re not sure if and when he’s going to be back.”

Yarrabah has been contacted for comment.

It was an eight-point play for Mareeba, who eventually ran out 36-28 winners to book their place in the FNQRL A-grade finals.

Mareeba’s A-grade and under-18s teams will play in the finals, but it’s not clear if Blooranta will return this season.

Yarrabah finished outside the top six in all three grades and will not feature in the senior finals.

■ MORE NEWS: Watch the wild, craziest moments in Qld sport

Follow @MMcInerney89

Originally published as Noah Blooranta, Mareeba teen, recovering after ‘dog shot’ lands rising league star in hospital