JUNIOR rugby league officials say that violence is a not problem in the game and have described two recent stoushes as "isolated incidents".
Cairns District Junior Rugby League chairman Bill Andrews said an on-field fight at an under-15 game between Brothers and Mossman earlier this month had been properly dealt with by the judiciary.
The fight led to three players being suspended while Mossman’s coach quit because he was dismayed by the incident.
In a statement on behalf of the CDJRL, Mr Andrews and general manager David Maiden said a report in The Cairns Post yesterday focused on two isolated incidents and did not reflect the true nature of junior rugby league.
They said all players, parents and officials committed themselves to the code of conduct when registering at the start of the season.
"We do not condone acts of violence, whether on or off the field and are confident that our administration, through our judicial processes, fairly and effectively addresses any issues that arise in a timely manner," the statement read.
The code of conduct also condemned swearing and abuse at games.
Mr Andrews said claims that violence was getting worse in junior football were ill-informed.
He said there were 2600 players in age groups from under-7 to under-16 in the Far North, which hosted more than 110 games each weekend during the rugby league season.
There had been more than 740 junior games played so far this season and only two notable stoushes had been reported, Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews could not comment on a punch-up between two women during a game between Edmonton Storm and Central Scorpions at Edmonton because the matter was still being dealt with by the CDJRL
judiciary.
