Outrage over junior footy brawl
The mother of a young rugby league player who was severely bashed during a Grand Final brawl at the weekend is demanding tougher rules to stamp out violence.
Junior rugby league bosses are under pressure to come down hard on several Under 16 players who were involved in a brawl at CUA Stadium on Saturday in Sydney's west.
The match between Blacktown and Lower Blue Mountains was supposed to be a fitting close to the season but it ended in some being hospitalised.
Lower Blue Mountains player Rohan Madgwick had his head kicked and stomped on while the attack continued on teammate, Miki Hughes, who was punched to the ground.
He is suffering from a broken nose and fractured cheek.
Hughes needed security to leave the ground and has had brain scans. His mother Susanne Hughes said she felt helpless.
"As a mother I feel that I failed standing there having to watch Miki go through that," she said.
"The last two days, it's been like a nightmare."
And there were more than just punches with accusations the Blacktown team threatened his life.
"He was threatened by a kid 'they're going to kill number eight'," Susanne said.
Paul Barton from the Lower Blue Mountains club said it was sickening.
"The boys are pretty shaken up, as are the parents," he said.
"The dressing room certainly didn't look like the dressing room of a victorious premiership-winning side."
Penrith Panthers coach Matthew Elliott described the incident as appalling.
"There's no place for it in our game and there's no place for it in our community," he told 7News.
The Blacktown team seemed to be proud of themselves as they walked from the field and were congratulated by their parents and supporters.
Junior League official, Don Feltis, said the brawl was embarrassing for the game.
"It is very disappointing to think that parents would see the cause to congratulate their children for being involved in that sort of activity," he said.
"I don't think they'll get much sympathy from the judiciary."
The judiciary will decide the fate of the perpetrators tonight.
Police may also lay charges.
