And its not unexpected for word to spread with such incidents. As long as its not just rumour or innuendo.
I was actually running the flag for that game, as a badged AR, backing up after coaching Rouse Hill Second Grade, and was speaking to the ref and other TJ (the Ref from 2nd Grade) after the game, once things settled down.
While Subbies still have to go through their procedures, I will say only what facts there are to say publicly:
The Police were called for an incident that occurred
after the full-time whistle.
The Committee of Rouse Hill are working very closely with Subbies to ensure that they assist to the best of their ability.
There were 6 Yellow Cards (3 each way) according to our sheet - I think Blacktown are missing one, and the Red Card to Rouse Hill.
The ref was doing his best to handle what was (at times) a heated game, and took action to de-escalate tensions using cards for appropriate offences. I didn't see everything as well as he did, because naturally he's closer to everything. I didn't see anything that looked like a howler, and I'm pretty level-headed when it comes to these things
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As a long-time club member, former coach, Registrar, and a number of other roles at the club, I will say this from the heart: the actions that led to Police being called are in no way aligned with our club culture.
The club had families, including women, children, parents, and grandparents on the sideline. The club supports charities - its written into our constitution to give 10% of fundraising to CHW as one example (
http://renegades.net.au/index.php?pageid=5)
We are inclusive and open to all new members, and encourage them to engage with us, and assist our goals: Have fun, play rugby, and support a good cause.
On the field we aim to play hard, clean rugby. We don't always get it right, and we definitely don't endorse anything like this occurring after the whistle.
We have had problem players before, and they are no longer with the club.
But note: a club cannot judge a player on a punch he hasn't thrown, or an action he hasn't taken. We can only go on good faith, and show the appropriate judgement when that faith is broken.
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On refs in general:
Sometimes you have a bad day with the ref. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way, and you get frustrated. That's rugby.
In this case, the First Grade ref we had was also the same one as our last game against Sydney Irish, for which we received 4 Yellow Cards. I ran the flag in that game too.
That is 7 Yellow Cards and 1 Red Card in the space of 2 games, for a First Grade team that only conceded 7 Yellow Cards in the previous 9 games for the season (3 games with no cards at all), including a few games that were exceptionally close.
Was he wrong? Nope.
Some refs respond differently to others, some are more officious than others, some see things differently. No two refs, or two teams, are the same. The dynamic of the game changes depending who is playing and how the ball bounces.
Definitely we'd like to have no yellow cards - but sometimes you're going to get a tackle that goes wrong, or a repeated infringement, and that's the way it is. You educate, iterate, and try to get better.
As a coach, after any day where we've had incidents with the ref, I go to my players and tell them to forget about blaming the ref. There are no superstars in park rugby, and that we should show more respect and spend time controlling the things we actually have a say in, and making sure any rough calls don't affect the outcome.
"If you're talking to the ref, you're wasting breath to play rugby" is my instruction to all of them.