Andrew Fifita tells junior rugby league referee: ‘I’ll smash you’

[Different kind of Rabbit]

The captain of the Emu plains side rang the grill team this morning to tell his side of the story and from what he was saying, the situation seemed a lot different to what has been reported.

Apparently an Emu Plains player dislocated his shoulder. David Fifita, as the trainer, ran on to the field to assist the injured player and the match was stopped as the player was assisted from the field.

The issue began when Fifita and the injured player were only 3/4's of the way off the field and the referee started play again. As play resumed, the ball went to the side of the field where Fifita was assisting the injured player and both were apparently put into danger.

According to the Emu Plains captain, David Fifita waited until after the match and went to approach the referee, apparently in a respectful manner. Allegedly the referee told him to go away and that he did not wish to discuss what had happened and this is when things got heated and Andrew also got invovled.

The Emu Plains captain was adamant that the Fifita boys did nothing terribly wrong but have been basically targeted because of their profile.

At that point, the caller was basically cut off because he didn't really fit in with the grill teams agenda for the morning.

Anyway, Penrith Juniors are running an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out.

 

[bfoord]

Can't believe all this shit from punks like you.

He didn't even touch the ref!

A 24 year old ref who works in the police riot squad had a cry because someone told him where to go.

Now that is pathetic!

Fifita was very lucky that this guy was working as a referee and not a cop ... Otherwise he would have found himself in jail.

If we want quality refs in the top grade ever again, then we need to keep these young refs in the game ... Not force them out because they can't be f**ked copping abuse from these morons.

Refs are like players ... They still need to learn their trade. .. And the place to do it is in the lower grades and junior footy. Young refs are going to make mistakes they're nit robots they're human.

 

[DJShaksta]

The captain of the Emu plains side rang the grill team this morning to tell his side of the story and from what he was saying, the situation seemed a lot different to what has been reported.

Apparently an Emu Plains player dislocated his shoulder. David Fifita, as the trainer, ran on to the field to assist the injured player and the match was stopped as the player was assisted from the field.

The issue began when Fifita and the injured player were only 3/4's of the way off the field and the referee started play again. As play resumed, the ball went to the side of the field where Fifita was assisting the injured player and both were apparently put into danger.

According to the Emu Plains captain, David Fifita waited until after the match and went to approach the referee, apparently in a respectful manner. Allegedly the referee told him to go away and that he did not wish to discuss what had happened and this is when things got heated and Andrew also got invovled.

The Emu Plains captain was adamant that the Fifita boys did nothing terribly wrong but have been basically targeted because of their profile.

At that point, the caller was basically cut off because he didn't really fit in with the grill teams agenda for the morning.

Anyway, Penrith Juniors are running an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out.

If they did the wrong thing and abused or threatened the ref then absolutely fine them, ban then for a few games etc.
But I find it rather suspicious that the red who video'd this event now suddenly says the video didn't work - this after several witnesses contradict his version of the incident.

 

[The Marshall]

The captain of the Emu plains side rang the grill team this morning to tell his side of the story and from what he was saying, the situation seemed a lot different to what has been reported.

Apparently an Emu Plains player dislocated his shoulder. David Fifita, as the trainer, ran on to the field to assist the injured player and the match was stopped as the player was assisted from the field.

The issue began when Fifita and the injured player were only 3/4's of the way off the field and the referee started play again. As play resumed, the ball went to the side of the field where Fifita was assisting the injured player and both were apparently put into danger.

According to the Emu Plains captain, David Fifita waited until after the match and went to approach the referee, apparently in a respectful manner. Allegedly the referee told him to go away and that he did not wish to discuss what had happened and this is when things got heated and Andrew also got invovled.

The Emu Plains captain was adamant that the Fifita boys did nothing terribly wrong but have been basically targeted because of their profile.

At that point, the caller was basically cut off because he didn't really fit in with the grill teams agenda for the morning.

Anyway, Penrith Juniors are running an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out.

I heard that as well but i thought it was the St Pats captain which was the team the Fafita's were being trainer for ? Which if it was they would obviously have some bias in trying to down play it.

 

[gronkathon]

In every experience with local comp judiciaries I have ever had the notes of the match official are gospel.

Don't see why this situation would be any different.

 

[adamkungl]

2 weeks. $10k suspended fine. Bullshit counselling. Move on.

This is boring.

 

[Eion]

The captain of the Emu plains side rang the grill team this morning to tell his side of the story and from what he was saying, the situation seemed a lot different to what has been reported.

Apparently an Emu Plains player dislocated his shoulder. David Fifita, as the trainer, ran on to the field to assist the injured player and the match was stopped as the player was assisted from the field.

The issue began when Fifita and the injured player were only 3/4's of the way off the field and the referee started play again. As play resumed, the ball went to the side of the field where Fifita was assisting the injured player and both were apparently put into danger.

According to the Emu Plains captain, David Fifita waited until after the match and went to approach the referee, apparently in a respectful manner. Allegedly the referee told him to go away and that he did not wish to discuss what had happened and this is when things got heated and Andrew also got invovled.

The Emu Plains captain was adamant that the Fifita boys did nothing terribly wrong but have been basically targeted because of their profile.

At that point, the caller was basically cut off because he didn't really fit in with the grill teams agenda for the morning.

Anyway, Penrith Juniors are running an investigation so it will be interesting to see what comes out.

Yep, heard the same thing. They finally actually get to talk to a bloke who was THERE and didn't want a bar of him.

Anyway - back to the outrage. Ban them for life, etc etc

 

[Eion]

2 weeks. $10k suspended fine. Bullshit counselling. Move on.

This is boring.

Backdated 2 weeks, serve 1.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

If they did the wrong thing and abused or threatened the ref then absolutely fine them, ban then for a few games etc.
But I find it rather suspicious that the red who video'd this event now suddenly says the video didn't work - this after several witnesses contradict his version of the incident.

I would say that a vast number of the guys that post here have played amateur sport at some point in time.

We've all encountered those amateur referee's who think they are Bill Harrigan. You can be as respectful as you like to some of those guys and they still treat you like a know nothing piece of shit.

I'm not saying that the referee involved here is like that at all, but we shouldn't be too quick to judge when all the facts aren't on the table.

You also need to remember that what you find threatening or intimidating may not be intimidating to me or even that it may not be meant to intimidate. The Fifita boys are two big and loud blokes after all.

 

[adamkungl]

Ref + cop, almost certain power trip.

 

[Lambretta]

Policemen don't make up falsehoods to try and big up themselves do they?

I'd never belive that from our boys in blue

Next thing we know Rugby League players will be up in court on charges of not being complete suck arses in a conversation with a Policeman after a few beers.

 

[Captain Apollo]

The following is from the ABC News website -

Cronulla NRL players Andrew and David Fifita banned from Penrith junior games over alleged referee abuse

Updated 11 minutes agoMon 27 Jul 2015, 11:15am

Cronulla NRL players Andrew and David Fifita have been banned from Penrithjunior matches for 12 months for allegedly abusing a refereeat a game.

It is alleged the twins physically and verbally threatened three young match officials after an A-grade game at Glenwood on Saturday.

An incident report obtained by the ABC yesterday said David Fifita was acting as a trainer and allegedly said to the referee "you're a f****** disgrace mate".

When he failed to stop the verbal abuse, the match official began to record the incident on his mobile phone, the report says.

This allegedly prompted Andrew Fifita to walk into a roped off area and say, "delete that now or I'll smash you", before charging towards the referee with numerous people intervening to hold him back.

The match official said in the report that the behaviour displayed by the Fifita brothers made him feel "very uncomfortable and threatened", and that if people had not physically intervened "the matter had the potential to escalate into a physical altercation".

The decision was handed down by a Penrith match review committee today.

The pair will now have five days to appeal the breach notice.

Penrith District Rugby League Referees Association president Phil Haines said that in the past year he had lost more than 30 match officials because of crowd abuse.

In April, his organisation announced it was going to employ security guards at junior games to keep referees safe from violent parents and onlookers.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

If Fifita gets 12 months, I can't wait to see what SKD gets.

Not sure the Penrith Junior league will get involved with SKD tbh..

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

No they didn't. They said in their opinion it should be a 12 month ban.

If that's the case, it would appear abusing a ref is far worse than abusing a woman. Great message for NRL to send out.

Regardless both brothers are idiots

Who abused a woman?

 

[adamkungl]

Policemen don't make up falsehoods to try and big up themselves do they?

I'd never belive that from our boys in blue

Next thing we know Rugby League players will be up in court on charges of not being complete suck arses in a conversation with a Policeman after a few beers.

Verbally abusing a boomgate :lol:

 

[adamkungl]

Pretty childish for Sharks fans to link this to the SKD case somehow though. Always the victim...

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Fifita was very lucky that this guy was working as a referee and not a cop ... Otherwise he would have found himself in jail.

You are probably right, not because he did anything wrong but a lot of cops are on a a complete power trip. Pretty much everybody I went to school with who was involved in drug dealing (some were still doing so whilst in the police force) or a complete and utter scumbag went on and joined the police force. What hope have you got with the people they are recruiting.

 

[Red Bear]

I hate ref abuse.

I play a very low level of soccer, and a few weeks ago we had a ref who was probably the best we'd had all season. He was fair, he pulled up stuff that should be pulled up setting a good standard and explained his decisions clearly. It was good. Yet a sideline person from the other team (not a player/coach, just an associate) started laying into him verbally. Pretty seriouly abusing him. I think it's ridiculous that people think that's ok, and it filters throughout all levels of sport. That suddenly when you give someone a whistle you have a right to abuse them.

And of course i've had shit referees. But they're human, they're gonna make mistakes, I know I make a heap whenever I'm playing sport, why expect different at lower levels from the officials.

Games much easier and more fun when you just accept the decision and move on. By all means have a chat if you think there's something wrong but just yelling, abusing sucks and I'm completely sick of it happening.

 

[MilkShark]

Not sure the Penrith Junior league will get involved with SKD tbh..

My comment was not in relation to the Penrith JRL mate.

 

[Canard]

This to me is why there should be a zero tolerance policy on officials being abused at this level.

Penrith District Rugby League Referees Association president Phil Haines said that in the past year he had lost more than 30 match officials because of crowd abuse.