The War: Young Blood - Attempted stabbing rocks St George Dragons teens in Cabramatta gang attack
Josh Hanrahan and Michael Carayannis
December 1, 2022 - 6:00AM
A group of junior rugby league players were attacked with a knife while innocently travelling from school to footy training, after simply getting off a train at a station where an armed
postcode gang was patrolling the platform.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the shocking incident that unfolded in peak hour last Wednesday afternoon at Cabramatta Train Station after the Polynesian gang noticed the teens’ school uniforms were not from the local area.
The group of six talented teens, who play for St George Dragons in the under-17s Harold Matthews Cup, had finished school at Patrician Brothers in Blacktown before taking the train southwest for their training session.
But within seconds of hopping off the train at Cabramatta they found themselves surrounded by a group of up to 15 local teenagers, who aggressively asked “What are you doing here?” before telling them “This is our turf”.
One of the postcode gang then landed a punch, before another slashed with a knife – thankfully missing.
Ex-NRL player and Samoan international Kyle Stanley, who manages the juniors for St George Dragons – a feeder club for his former first grade team St George Illawarra – said he was shocked by the incident which could have so easily seen a teenager killed.
“One of our boys tried to de-escalate the situation and he stepped forward,” Mr Stanley said.
“He was just saying ‘Yeah we’re from Mt Druitt and we’re from Blacktown but we’re just here to train, that’s it’.
“But the group of 15 boys took advantage of their numbers, escalated the situation and struck the boy in the face.
“He came out with a black eye and that was all thankfully, it could have been far worse.”
The team, which was training in Cabramatta because of a partnership with the local club, was due to return for another session on Friday night.
But that session was cancelled and all future training moved back to their usual Blakehurst home ground.
“We have moved all our training up until Christmas back to the St George region,” Mr Stanley said.
“The boys are doing well, but this whole postcode thing, it’s terrible.
“Just because they’re from Mt Druitt or Blacktown doesn’t mean they are, or they want to be, gangsters.
“Our boys are just going to school, going to training, trying to improve themselves and they’re confronted by this kind of behaviour.”
Mr Stanley called the players’ parents to tell them about the incident, before accompanying several of them as they spent their night making police statements.
A group of junior rugby league players were attacked with a knife while innocently travelling from school to footy training, after simply getting off a train at a station where an armed
postcode gang was patrolling the platform.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the shocking incident that unfolded in peak hour last Wednesday afternoon at Cabramatta Train Station after the Polynesian gang noticed the teens’ school uniforms were not from the local area.
The group of six talented teens, who play for St George Dragons in the under-17s Harold Matthews Cup, had finished school at Patrician Brothers in Blacktown before taking the train southwest for their training session.
But within seconds of hopping off the train at Cabramatta they found themselves surrounded by a group of up to 15 local teenagers, who aggressively asked “What are you doing here?” before telling them “This is our turf”.
One of the postcode gang then landed a punch, before another slashed with a knife – thankfully missing.
Ex-NRL player and Samoan international Kyle Stanley, who manages the juniors for St George Dragons – a feeder club for his former first grade team St George Illawarra – said he was shocked by the incident which could have so easily seen a teenager killed.
“One of our boys tried to de-escalate the situation and he stepped forward,” Mr Stanley said.
“He was just saying ‘Yeah we’re from Mt Druitt and we’re from Blacktown but we’re just here to train, that’s it’.
“But the group of 15 boys took advantage of their numbers, escalated the situation and struck the boy in the face.
“He came out with a black eye and that was all thankfully, it could have been far worse.”
The team, which was training in Cabramatta because of a partnership with the local club, was due to return for another session on Friday night.
But that session was cancelled and all future training moved back to their usual Blakehurst home ground.
“We have moved all our training up until Christmas back to the St George region,” Mr Stanley said.
“The boys are doing well, but this whole postcode thing, it’s terrible.
“Just because they’re from Mt Druitt or Blacktown doesn’t mean they are, or they want to be, gangsters.
“Our boys are just going to school, going to training, trying to improve themselves and they’re confronted by this kind of behaviour.”
Mr Stanley called the players’ parents to tell them about the incident, before accompanying several of them as they spent their night making police statements.
NSW Police confirmed they were investigating the assault and attempted stabbing and appealed for any witnesses to the attack to come forward.
“Around 5.30pm last Wednesday (November 23, 2022), officers attached to Cabramatta Police Transport Command were called to a registered club in Cabramatta, following reports a group of teens were allegedly assaulted at a nearby railway station moments earlier,” the statement said.
“Upon arrival, officers were told that six teenage boys were approached and assaulted by another larger group of teenage boys, one of which, armed with a knife, attempted to stab one of boys.
“One of the young boys was treated for an injury to his eye.
“Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/t...k/news-story/b91ca07f169d939322e69aab8677b892
www.dragons.com.au
