VIC:Life ban for knife-wielding player

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2010
VIC:Life ban for knife-wielding player

By Steve Lillebuen

MELBOURNE, Aug 4 AAP - A country rugby league player has been banned for life after
pulling out a knife during a heated finals match.

The sanction comes as a league-wide investigation is launched into using unregistered
players in the Sunraysia Rugby League (SRL) in northwestern Victoria.

Officials say all SRL clubs could face further sanctions as violent players are stamped
out for "totally unacceptable" behaviour.

Kava Lumanuvao, 26, is banned for life from playing in or attending any games in both
the SRL and the Victorian Rugby League.

He faced a tribunal hearing this week after his frustration flared violently over a hard hit.

Lumanuvao was struck on Saturday early in the first half of a crucial semi-final between
the top-of-the-ladder Chaffey Titans and the Mildura Tigers in Nichols Point.

The hit from the Tigers' Ata Ikafanga sparked a massive brawl with other players rushing
onto the field.

An infuriated Lumanuvao then stormed off to his car, taking off his jumper and returning
later to the field with a knife in his hands.

Police say his coach disarmed him as his Titans teammates held him back and the referee
broke up the fight.

No one was injured or threatened with the weapon but the game was immediately stopped
and the Tigers awarded the win, putting them straight into the grand final.

An SRL tribunal found Lumanuvao was an unregistered player as they imposed the lifetime ban.

Ikafanga has also been charged with striking and given a four-week suspension.

A player who ran onto the field during the brawl, Paki Seve, has been been banned for
17 months. He is a registered player with the Robinvale Rugby League Club, which had played
a game earlier that day.

The Titans will not be banned from from playing in this week's preliminary final despite
using Lumanuvao as an unregistered player.

An investigation into unregistered players across the league, however, is now underway,
a league spokesman said.

Further sanctions could be imposed in the future.

VRL chairman Greg Brentnall said violent behaviour will not be tolerated in its leagues.

"Whilst it is disappointing that an incident such as this occurred in the first place,
we are fully supportive of the strong, decisive and timely action taken," he said in a
statement.

Police were expected to interview Lumanuvao over carrying a controlled weapon.

AAP sbl/pmu/was/dep

KEYWORD: KNIFE

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