Rugby league ‘dog shot’ and brawls: What happened to our great game?

A teenage rising star of the game was left in hospital after being knocked out with what one long-serving rugby league official described as a “disgraceful dog shot” in the FNQRL, while a senior game was called off in Toowoomba when an on-field brawl led to altercations between the crowd and players.

Two incidents, on the same weekend, which have left community rugby league participants, again, searching for answers.

When did rugby league become this?

Not even a month has past since this masthead published a story in which Queensland Rugby League CEO Ben Ikin vowed to stamp out racist and violent behaviour in the sport.

That story came after an ugly on-field brawl between the parents of under-9 players, and the finalisation of an alleged case of racial abuse in an U15s match in Toowoomba.

“The QRL rejects this type of behaviour at any level of the sport,” Mr Ikin said.

“It’s frustrating because it’s hard to legislate against the lowest common denominator.”

Sure, bad behaviour at sporting events may not be confined to rugby league, but there is a trend of some seriously bad incidents in the 13-man game.

But recent incidents in a sport we love is undoubtedly pushing plenty of people away.

Who wants to see a teenager get knocked out by completely unnecessary contact - accidental or not?

Or, better yet, what family would want their young children at a game and exposed to bad language, or where a fight break out in the crowd?

Local league volunteers do an extraordinary job, from maintaining peace at community games to simply keeping their competitions on track, but there’s only so many times they can play Sam Thaiday’s prerecorded message about fan behaviour until there’s nobody left to listen.

For what it’s worth, Ikin said the QRL will not accept any inappropriate behaviour, and pill punish offending individuals to the full extent of its rules.

“Effectively what rugby league does is it draws on people from the local community,” he said.

“They bring their own views and behaviours into those environments, so in terms of changing behaviour and changing views we can play a role in that and we will be very clear on what our expectations are when you step into our environment.

“When you don’t meet those expectations we will be very clear on the sanctions we will hand down and the price you will pay, but overtime what we see in rugby league is effectively a snapshot of the unfortunate behaviour and views of the people that come out of communities and society.”

At some point, the rugby league community has to stop the madness before the game we love is gone forever.

It’s now or never for the QRL to take decisive action.

matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au

Originally published as Rugby league ‘dog shot’ and brawls: What happened to our great game?