The Cronulla-Sutherland District Junior Rugby League will double the number of GoPro cameras worn by their referees after a junior referee was allegedly attacked during a game on Saturday.
Jucy Talau, 34, will face Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday charged with assault causing actual bodily harm after he allegedly punched a 16-year-old referee in the face.
The young referee can no longer be identified for legal reasons with the matter now before the courts.
The incident occurred while Talau was acting as a trainer for the Gymea Gorillas under-12s against Engadine Dragons at Anzac Oval when the young referee ruled Talau’s son be replaced during the match.
Talau was immediately stood down and banned from all rugby league grounds in the Cronulla-Sutherland district and will face a judiciary hearing after the matter is heard in court.
CSDRL general manager Nathan Waugh said he could not comment on the specifics of the incident but told the Leader the young referee’s well-being was the most important issue.
“I received a phone call from [the referee’s father] and immediately drove from Cronulla Caringbah’s ground to Engadine just sick in the guts wondering what I was going to see when I arrived,” he said.
“I spoke to [the referee and his father on Sunday] as well. [The referee] was doing fine. He had no breaks or anything like that.
“I want to stress that him and his family, and making sure they are ok, is the highest priority for myself and the junior league.”
The incident occurred during the NSWRL’s Respect Round which involved all coaches, referees and players demonstrating actions of respect by wearing armbands and shaking hands before the start of matches.
Waugh, a former referee in the district with more than 10 years experience, said the timing of the incident was also disappointing.
“There will be a judiciary hearing but that won’t be until the matter is heard in court,” he said.
“The judiciary can raise any penalty they see fit. There is no minimum or maximum penalty.
“The referee will submit a report to the league and witnesses will be called upon to make themselves available.
“He’s been cited under the NRL code of conduct.”
The CSDRL have 12 GoPro devices for their referees to monitor crowd and player behaviour but the young referee was not wearing one at the time of the incident.
The association’s major sponsor, The Feros Group, and the Cronulla Sharks have pledged to provide the money to double the number of GoPros to 24 immediately.
Waugh confirmed the junior league had placed a ban on league officials speaking to the media about the incident but only as a way of respecting the integrity of the court hearing.
Waugh described it as a “very isolated incident” in the area.
“One person has done a lot of damage in this incident,” he said.
“We have one of the best junior leagues in terms of player and spectator behaviour.
“I understand the damage this sort of thing can cause. As a former referee I’ve seen it first hand.
“This year we’ve been very proactive in terms of handing breach notices to coaches.
“We’ve met with parents of individual teams on occasions. Not for any major issues but so referees know the junior league is proactive in protecting them [because that is] paramount to us.”
Waugh said the junior league would continue to cooperate with the NSW Police and the NSWRL.
