Angry parents turn on teen girl referee
STEELE TALLON
10jun01
POLICE were called to rescue a young female referee who was threatened by parents after an under-13 rugby league match turned ugly.
Teenage whistleblower Alicia Newham and her two touch judges were forced to shut themselves in a dressing room last Sunday at Grange on Brisbane's northside, after a spiteful junior game between Redcliffe and Redlands.
Former Australian halfback and first grade coach Ross Strudwick, whose son Nathan was playing in the game at Emerson Park, described the events as the worst he'd seen at any match in 45 years associated with rugby league.
"I was absolutely appalled," he said. "It was very, very sad. I've seen some pretty bad things in my time but this was disgusting."
Nathan Strudwick was knocked out in an alleged high tackle and a Redcliffe player was sent off.
During the game a barrage of foul-mouthed abuse was thrown at Ms Newham, 19, a university student, by parents from the Redcliffe team.
After the match the parents threatened match officials and Redlands supporters.
Ms Newham and the touch judges including former Brisbane first grade referee Ian Irwin were followed to the change rooms, where they closed the door in the face of abuse and threats.
Ground officials called police. Four uniformed officers arrived in two squad cars but no charges were laid.
Ms Newham was too upset by the incident to talk about it.
Mr Irwin, also president of the Brisbane Rugby League Referees Association, said it was the first time he could recall police being called to a junior match in his 21 years of refereeing.
"What sort of people will these young kids develop into if they see their parents carrying on like that?" he said.
It is understood there was more trouble on Monday night when a Redcliffe player sent off during the match faced the judiciary on a high tackle charge. Officials are examining claims Ms Newham was again threatened by supporters outside the judiciary, which was adjourned until Wednesday night.
In another outbreak of violence at junior sport last weekend, a referee in his mid-20s was grabbed and abused by a spectator after an under-14 rugby league match at Goodna.
Ipswich Junior Rugby League is investigating the incident.
Deputy Premier and Sports Minister Terry Mackenroth said such behaviour could not be tolerated and called on sports to ban parents and supporters who overstepped the mark.
"Individual sports should implement their own codes of conduct that state clearly when a spectator should be stopped from coming to matches if they get out of hand," Mr Mackenroth told The Sunday Mail.
"It's easy to stand on the sideline and criticise, but all parents and supporters need to understand that the referees are young people who are giving up their time and without those people you don't have a match."
Ms Newham was described as one of Brisbane's best emerging referees by Mr Irwin, who said her performance in Sunday's match was "first class".
He said referees would support the introduction of fines for abusive fans or checks by inspectors for spectators making threats.
