NRL contact stadium bosses after latest pitch invasion

Scott Bailey | April 26, 2023

The NRL has spoken to stadium bosses in a bid to prevent further pitch invaders after one stormed the field on Anzac Day and hugged St George Illawarra centre Zac Lomax.

Dragons skipper Ben Hunt and Sydney Roosters counterpart James Tedesco admitted fears for player safety after the incident at Allianz Stadium. 

A 19-year-old man ran onto the field late in the second half of the Dragons’ 27-26 loss to the Sydney Roosters, as play was stopped for a captain’s challenge.

He was able to run to the middle of the field where he stood for some time waving his shirt around, before attracting the attention of security and embracing Lomax. 

The teenager was arrested and charged with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo speaking to Venues NSW chief executive Kerrie Mather on Wednesday. 

“She’s already made the right inquiries with the security company and reviewed the footage and figured out how that can be avoided” Abdo told AAP.

“You can’t completely eliminate pitch invaders but you can respond to it in a timely way. I think her and I both felt like that didn’t occur yesterday. 

“She’s taken a number of actions, which we are really supportive of, to ensure that doesn’t happen again.”

Tedesco and Hunt both said the incident was “dangerous” and admitted the uncertainty of what could happen when an invader takes to the field of play.

“Who knows what the invader could have on them or (if they want to) attack a player. It is a bit scary,” Tedesco said. 

“Obviously security needs to be a bit better there and not allow pitch invaders to get in contact with any players.”

Manly captain and RLPA representative Daly Cherry-Evans said on Wednesday he had noticed an increase in pitch invasions but urged fans to stay in their seats.

“It’s probably been more common for a while,” Cherry-Evans said. 

“It could get really nasty if that person wanted to. 

“It would be much appreciated if everyone stayed on their side of the fence and cheered, heckled or booed.”

Last year then Wests Tigers captain James Tamou called for a protester at a game to be a wake-up call for officials, after he brought a flare onto Pointsbet Stadium and had to be held by Tigers lock Joe Ofahenguae.

Dragons prop Blake Lawrie was also forced to stop a pitch invader in a game in Wollongong last year after he remained on the field for a full minute and ran up and down the sideline.

Former Canberra playmaker Mark McLinden was the most bizarre pitch invader of 2022, after storming the field during the grand final.

McLinden removed the padding from the goal posts as he attempted to tie himself to it as part of a climate protest.