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Wests Tigers-South Sydney game halted after second pitch invader jumps fence at Bankwest Stadium

A NRL pitch invader has delivered the biggest hit of 2019 as his daring run brought the crowd to its feet — and a security guard flying off his.

4 min read
June 28, 2019 - 10:16AM
A Bankwest Stadium pitch invader evades the security
A Bankwest Stadium pitch invader evades the security

Two pitch invaders have overshadowed the Wests Tigers’ dour win over the Bunnies on Thursday night with a spellbinding streak across Bankwest Stadium.

With both individuals sporting the Rabbitohs’ cardinal and myrtle colours, they surged to the half way line after jumping the fence and catching the security staff napping.

While one of the men was rounded up quickly, a second man seized his moment to deliver the game’s biggest highlight.

Streaking between three security staff on one side of the half way line, the man was spotted stepping past one security guard and breaking into open space again on the other side of halfway where the play was unfolding with the Rabbitohs’ in the Tigers’ red zone just short of the try line.

The man was painstakingly close to darting to towards the try line before a fourth security guard appeared in front of him at the 30m line.

They never saw him coming.
They never saw him coming.

Caught unawares, the streaker lost his footing as he attempted to change directions, sliding at full speed into the legs of the security guard — sending the poor bloke in the fluoro jacket flying date over biscuit.

The unorthodox tackle gave the chasing security staff the time they needed to catch up and apprehend the darting distraction.

He was escorted from the field and play resumed.

It was the second time in four weeks that the new western Sydney Stadium has been brought to its knees by bold streakers with the Eels-Rabbitohs’ clash in round 12 also blighted by a streaker that reached the players on the field before security stepped into action.

Man down.
Man down.

In that episode Eels playmaker Will Smith was forced to grab the streaker before security could drag him from the field.

“He got way too far, way too far,” Fox League commentator Andrew Voss said at the time.

“That could’ve been a worse outcome.”

Co-commentator Braith Anasta chimed in: “Lucky we’ve got 1000 security guards here. I don’t know what they’re doing.”

The Thursday night episode has heaped pressure on the Bankwest Stadium security contractor with some NRL commentators calling for an investigation.

THURSTON, RIDDELL BLOW UP OVER NRL ‘GRUB’

NRL legend Johnathan Thurston has called it a “low act.

NRL great Mark Ridell described it as “grubby act”.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield said it should have been the first send-off of the season.

They all agree Rabbitohs star George Burgess is facing a long period on the sidelines for his apparent eye gouge on Wests Tigers rake Robbie Farah in the Tigers’ win over South Sydney at Bankwest Stadium.

Burgess’ fingers appeared to move towards Farah’s eves during a try-line tackle.

The Tigers veteran got up and complained to the referee immediately.

The NRL bunker’s review of the incident instructed the on-field officials to place Burgess on report — but no further action was taken.

Thurston told Channel 9 on Thursday night the NRL should “throw the book” at Burgess.

“Imagine if he scratches his eye and loses half of his eyesight? Gouging and biting two of the lowest acts in rugby league,” Thurston said.

“If they’re going to deter anyone from doing it again they have to throw the book at him. It’s a low act.”

Rabbitohs star George Burgess eye gouges Tiger's Robbie Farah.
Rabbitohs star George Burgess eye gouges Tiger's Robbie Farah.

Ridell told Macquarie Sport Radio on Friday morning Burgess “should be on the sidelines for a while”.

“It’s just ridiculous,” he said.

“It’s a grubby act, he’s got priors spending four weeks out playing for England (for a similar incident).

“I’m expecting him to get a lengthy ban, the index was halfway in Robbie Farah’s eye.

“Terrible look for the game, it’s one of the worst things you can do on the field and he deserves to spend a lot of time on the sidelines.

“It’s a low act, we don’t want it in our game and he should be on the sidelines for a while.”

Rothfield labelled Burgess a “grub” after he was also hit with a four-match ban for eye-gouging New Zealand captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak during an international in November.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said while he didn’t know whether Burgess was guilty of a gouge, he expressed his disappointment that he had made contact with Farah’s face. “There was just no need to put himself in that position to start,” Bennett said.

“I’m not condemning him for it, in that I don’t know whether his fingers actually made contact with the eye or not. The point is it was totally unwarranted.”

Canberra’s Hudson Young was earlier this month rubbed out for five weeks for an eye gouge on Aiden Tolman.

However, North Queensland firebrand Josh McGuire has twice this year escaped with a fine for contrary conduct for facials on Cameron Munster and Dylan Walker.

The NRL was forced to defend its decision not to charge McGuire with a more serious offence but argued its hand were tied because neither players made complaints.

Given that Farah got up claiming Burgess’ fingers made contact with his yes, the Englishman is likely to find himself with a case to answer.

“Obviously there was a hand on the face but after that, looking on the big screen that’s all I could see, I only saw it once or twice,” Bennett said.

“I can’t definitely say it was an eye gouge or what it was. There was definitely a hand in the face, no doubt about it, but I thought it was more in the forehead.”

Tigers coach Michael Maguire refused to comment on the incident.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigerssouth-sydney-game-halted-after-second-pitch-invader-jumps-fence-at-bankwest-stadium/news-story/8721225f2cebdf029884ff2e4d18656d