Parent faces tribunal over player swipe

A PARENT accused of assaulting a teenager at a junior rugby league grand final will face an independent tribunal next week.

A teenage Brothers player was allegedly “palmed” on the “bottom of the chin” by a mother after one of the matches last month.

The mother, who is a teacher in the region, was suspended from attending games last weekend swiftly by the Townsville Junior Rugby League.

Detectives are also investigating the incident where teenage player was allegedly “palmed”.

Police are looking at whether there had been ongoing issues between the teenager and players of another team.

The accusations will come before an independent tribunal next Thursday, where the matter will finalised by the league.

Family of the teenager said he was shocked and saddened by the alleged attack that marred an otherwise smoothly run junior grand final day.

It’s understood the woman spoke with police last week and investigations are continuing.

Townsville District Junior Rugby League president Bert Petersen said the incident would likely result in match day rule changes, which would be put forward to the board in November.

“It will go through that review (process),” he said.

The changes would mean no one would be allowed on the field at all while the players are on the field before or after the game.

“We’ve always had that while play has been on, but once the game has been called off people have been able to go out and mix with their teams, but we’ll stop all that as well,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll ever stop everything (incidents) 100 per cent but we’re really trying to do that.”

Mr Petersen even suggested fencing the field off to spectators.

In June, an email was circulated by Mr Petersen to clubs addressing sideline behaviour following a spate of ugly incidents.

The woman is understood to not be working pending the outcome of the police investigation. The Education Department would not comment while it was being investigated.