MACLEAY Valley Mustangs finished the match with 10 players on the field as Port Macquarie Sharks stormed to a commanding 54-16 victory on Sunday.
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With 13 minutes remaining on the clock, the officials made the decision to abandon the match in a fixture that had always threatened to boiled over.
Mustangs halfback David Davis, prop forward Viliame Tobesawa and fullback Tyreece Sines were all given their marching orders within 10 minutes of half-time.
There were another three moments in the match where players spent time in the sinbin.
Sharks halfback and captain Jake Hawkins was one of those who spent time off the field following an ugly melee following an incident with Tobesawa in the play-the-ball.
The Mustangs prop appeared to lash out with his boot before Hawkins retaliated with a flurry of punches.
He admitted the officials were left with little choice other than to abandon the match early.
“The refs have got a hard job controlling 26 players and I’m sure it does gets tough out there by yourself,” he said.
“It did get out of hand.”
In the end, the match degenerated into a slugfest and Hawkins implored the officials to stand by their decisions for the remainder of the season.
“There were penalties and calls that didn’t go both ways and it wasn’t just our way or the other way … it got out of hand and it was physical, but that’s footy,” he said.
“As long as refs stay consistent throughout the year and that’s the stand that they’re going to make, then I guess that’s the penalty you’re going to get when you do those things.”
“It did get out of hand.”
- Port Sharks captain Jake Hawkins
Players appeared to be constantly back-chatting the officials after most of the control had gone out of the game.
“I can’t remember playing in a game where the game was called off early for those reasons,” Hawkins said.
“Players were talking back to him and making smart comments and (the refs) are not going to tolerate it.
“If they make a stand like today they need to stay consistent throughout the year.”
In total, the Sharks raced in nine tries to three, with Kieran Gallagher and 100-game veteran Harley Gore crossing for doubles.
Joel Antilla, Tom Maguire, James Kelly, Liam Potter and Charley Faatoia also scored four-pointers.
Remarkably, the Sharks finished without anyone on the bench following injuries to Joey Cudmore, Corey Murphy, Maguire and Kelly.
“We’ll reassess them during the week because we’re not too sure of the seriousness of them all, but we’ll see how we go,” Hawkins said.
Prop forward Kurt Molony backed up his performance against the Breakers last week with another strong effort up front.
“That’s two really good games in a row from him,” Hawkins said.
“I’m really happy for him that he can play big minutes and for a big fella too, so it’s only upwards for him.
I can’t remember playing in a game where the game was called off early for those reasons.
- Port Sharks captain Jake Hawkins
“The size that he brings through the middle of the field is a great inclusion for us.”
Despite reaching the half-century, Hawkins admitted the Sharks were still nowhere near their best.
“We didn’t play our best footy at all today until the second half,” he said.
“We’ll put that game behind us and move onto next week.
“We’ve got Wauchope so it’ll be another physical game and that’s what Group 3 footy is all about. It seems like it’s going to be that sort of year.”