Central Newcastle have lost star prop Jake Finn for the season and others may face the Newcastle Rugby League judiciary this week following an all-in brawl late in Saturday’s season opener at Kurri Sportsground.
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The Butcher Boys signing ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the melee, which lasted more up to 10 minutes, saw two players sin-binned and will be investigated by the Newcastle RL match review committee on Monday.
It has left Central coach Craig Miller, who won his return game to the competition 26-12 against the Bulldogs, disappointed about an “ugly incident” and without a front-rower for 2017.
“I’ve got a player who is out for the season, which leaves a bit of a sour taste for me,” Miller said.
“I’d like to be really happy with winning, but I’d be a lot happier to get out of there with 17 fit players and that hasn’t happened.
“If you don’t have the brawl you don’t have people running in and then you don’t have those types of injuries, so it was a pretty disappointing end to the game.”
Miller said Finn was taken by surprise when grabbed on the back of the jersey and flung around, which caused his knee to collapse.
This incident occurred during the fight, which broke out inside the final 20 minutes of play. Central already led Kurri by their match-winning 14-point margin.
Central five-eighth Nathan Taylor and Kurri substitute Jayden Young were the two players given 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Kurri coach Ron Griffiths said he didn’t disagree with action being taken by the referee, but thought others were lucky to stay on the field.
“It was a massive blue, pretty much all-in and we lost about eight or 10 minutes of game time,” Griffiths said.
“But the guys who probably deserved to go didn’t get anything, didn’t even get spoken too.”
Newcastle RL chief executive officer Matt Harris said he was aware of the event and further action may be taken after officials watch the video.
“We were informed straight away when it happened and it doesn’t sound like it was a good look for the game so we need to address it and we will,” Harris said.
Harris said club’s may come into the firing line based on a melee code of conduct rule implemented a few seasons ago while other individual players could be asked to front the judiciary and face suspension.
Meanwhile, Central took a 16-6 advantage into the main break but Kurri reduced the margin to four with a converted try shortly after half-time.
Butcher Boys winger Jared Nott scored a double for the visitors.
