Four charged by NRL over under-20s brawl

[Guest]

No charges were laid by the NRL match review committee following the weekend's games, but four players are facing lengthy bans for a vicious brawl in the Toyota Cup.

The Cronulla-Sydney Roosters under-20s clash erupted just after halftime with three players - gun Roosters centre Ryan Williamson and Sharks pair Ahmad Ellaz and John Viiga - sin-binned following a fight.

All three, along with Roosters hooker Sam Brunton, were on Monday charged over the incident - the foursome facing a total of 15 weeks on the sidelines.

Backrower Ellaz was the hardest hit after being slapped with a grade five contrary conduct charge - the 19-year-old facing a five-week ban or four matches with an early plea.

Viiga and Williamson were both charged with grade four offences which carry four-match bans, though both can cut that by one week with the early plea.

Brunton, who was sin-binned for a later incident, will miss two games with an early plea.

[Rooster_6]

As disappointing as it is to see them on the sidelines, good for the boys to show some passion, saw it in the game last week against Nth QLD also.

4-5 weeks for a fight though? I must admit I didn't see it but that's pretty harsh.

[TheLoneRooster]

What in heaven's name is going on with this club???
This is not good however you want to portray it, be that as showing passion or just the game. Where is the discipline?

[Rooster_6]

What in heaven's name is going on with this club???
This is not good however you want to portray it, be that as showing passion or just the game. Where is the discipline?

It's Rugby League ffs... harden up a little.

Seriously there's nothing wrong with a fight, more is being made of it because of our current problems and you're taking the Newspapers bait hook line and sinker.

[Guest]

I can cop it on the field......it gets dealt with swiftly and justly....and has been around since the games inception....

[Geohood]

Just saw footage on the news.. it happened pretty quick but I noticed Williamson straight away.. he came in after the brawl started and punched some dude a couple of times, I think the guy was held back by one player but it was hardto tell and they were at least facing each other.. a Sharks player then started hitting him then Williamson got him a couple of times and I think that was it..


But if he gets anymore than 1 week for that (the 4 weeks said) thats way too much.

[Guest]

Just saw footage on the news.. it happened pretty quick but I noticed Williamson straight away.. he came in after the brawl started and punched some dude a couple of times, I think the guy was held back by one player but it was hardto tell and they were at least facing each other.. a Sharks player then started hitting him then Williamson got him a couple of times and I think that was it..


But if he gets anymore than 1 week for that (the 4 weeks said) thats way too much.

Ryan just told me he got 3 weeks and is pretty pissed about it.

[Guest]

Ryan just told me he got 3 weeks and is pretty pissed about it.

Then next time he might remember not to be third or fourth man in to a brawl......

[Guest]

GOOD ON YA RYAN !!! Do not let these little cats get to you .

[Guest]

Then next time he might remember not to be third or fourth man in to a brawl......

I agree, but he is of the old school that says " one in all in ,."in his defence though he didn't throw any untill he had half a dozen thrown at him. Where he has come unstuck is that his blows found their target and that's what he is being suspended for.

[Vasco]

The disappointing thing is we are playing the Dragons this week and we need every player on deck, in both grades!

[Chookies74]

From the footage, he was throwing plenty, and he kept throwing them. It didn't look good on the 5,6 and 7 O'clock news.
That's why he got 4 weeks, he kept going.
Irrespective of who, what, where, how, in today's game if you throw punches you get weeks. It's the NRL's way of trying to win back the mums who won't let their boys play league.