“Ripped shirt and blood everywhere” – ex-NRL badboy present as horror brawl breaks out at junior representative game

Manly Sea Eagles and the NSWRL are investigating a brawl that took place at a junior representative game over the weekend.

A junior Manly player and a spectator were said to have been involved in an altercation, with police being called out by South Sydney officials to Erskineville Oval.

One of the Sea Eagles players is also reported to have run from the bench to the tunnel area, engaging in a verbal exchange with former Manly badboy John Hopoate about the incident.

The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that the Sea Eagles and NSWRL are investigating the incident, which witnesses say left one of the men with a “ripped shirt and blood everywhere” and one man was repeatedly kicked in the head whilst on the floor.

Witnesses told the Sydney Morning Herald that a member of Manly’s Jersey Flegg team was watching the clash when someone else in the crowd – who was at the ground to support a friend in the Manly team – approached him.

Witnesses say the incident turned physical, causing one current Sea Eagles SG Ball player to leave the bench and rush to the aid of his friend.

Manly chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed the incident when contacted by the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I’ve been made aware of an incident at a junior reps trial match on the weekend at Erskineville Oval,” Humphreys said.

“We’re gathering all necessary information, we will interview the necessary people.

“Once we’ve got all the necessary information, we will talk to South Sydney and the NSWRL. Once we will have all the information, if there is any action for us to take, we will consider that at the time.”

NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden also confirmed an investigation would begin this week.

“I was made aware of an incident that occurred in the crowd at an SG Ball trial between South Sydney and Manly at Erskineville Oval,” Trodden told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“From the reports I received, police were called, but the fight had dispersed by the time they arrived.

“As far as I have been told no charges were made. I’m awaiting a full report of the circumstances on Monday, and we’ll go through the incident.”