After the brawl at the Saints v Wigan game. Got me thinking/wondering as I've played in a few amateur matches that have finished early because of fighting was just wondering if any profesional matches have. I can't think of any off hand.

Leigh vs Oldham early eighties.

My first ever game was almost abandoned. Was under-18s level and we were 50+ points up on a team when one of their players just lost the plot and started swing at everyone in sight. Think we ended up with 2 sent off one our side and 4 or 5 from theirs by the end. Stuck 80+ on 'em.

Open-age amateur RL used to be utterly ridiculous for it. You'd be guaranteed a few fights every game, more often than no degenerating into 26-man brawls.

In one particularly wild game I remember our fed up captain just sitting on the ball with his chin in his hands as the 2 teams battled it out all over the pitch, for probably the fourth time that game.

Now, thankfully, things are more controlled and the penalties more severe, though of course things sometimes spill over.

Hull KR had a game against Bradford in the early 80's Bradford had 2/3 sent off. When they got another man sent off for foul play the captain feeling that aggrieved walked the rest of the team off the pitch and into the dressing room and they refused to finish the match.

Never seen it, but that Tonga - England game back in 2006--2007 it might have been would have been close, if not for the fact it got out of control very late in the game. Was mayhem for a bit

Doncaster v Queens in 2009 (or was it 2010?)

That long ago? I guess it was. Does that mean Queens' ban from the Challenge Cup is nearly up?

Look up "Rugby League Biff - England "A" v Tonga" on the tuuube.

Tonga were an utter disgrace that day. Half the squad made the perennial and preferred villain of Super League, Hock, look like just a right cheeky little cherub.

I was involved with 2 games at youth level (U15s) around 88/89.My team St Helens Crusaders were playing Thattoheath on both occasions and despite the fact we all new each other the was no love lost.Town rivalry and all that.

The first game in an end of season sevens tournament was abandoned due to an all in brawl which was started after just single punch in a tackle.3 months later in a league game my fellow prop 'clothes lined' and then kicked their prop and cue another brawl with parents streaming onto the pitch to break it up.It looked worse than what it was but the game was abandoned again.

We played them again later that season without incident-mind you our prop was still banned so that probably helped!

Remember watching that on Sky. Absolute disgrace at international level. Did the RLIF do anything about it? I doubt it.

Just watched the clip YT, and it's still such a cowardly thuggish attack by Tonga. Both of their wingers were a disgrace laying punches into Radford on the floor whilst after he came in to break it up. Says on the video that Sam Moa was the first one sent off. Pretty sure that wasn't Sam Moa so I looked for a match report and indeed it was Joe Foliaki, although the report says that Moa was sin-binned earlier in the match (not sure what for, and found it amusing that he was referred to as Samuela Moa!). Utter shambles that game. There should have been more sent off IMO.

You are right Wellsy, it wasn't Sam Moa, it was a player called Foliaki. He's got history has that lad.

Search "sonny bill williams fight" and watch the video in all capital letters. Foliaki trying his chances with a young SBW in some age-grade comp. Keep watching it though, because when Foliaki gets sent off he races to the sidelines to have a punch at SBW, takes his shirt off like some maniacal nut, and ends up running straight into a nice left from SBW

Our 2nd game of the season this year

Under 11's !!

lol at sbw, his punching hasn't got any harder in his old age! Funny as dragging Sam moa out of the dressing rooms just to send him off and send him back there!

Sam Moa?

Tonga were captained by Sol Haumono and he was repeatedly having to calm his players down around the ruck through the game. He was having a spell on the bench when the brawl started, got up and tried to stop the fighting. He was then yellow-carded (correctly I suppose) for entering the field without permission.

He was sent off, not yellow carded. Harsh, but you can't come back on the field.

The only thing that annoys me about this is the lack of punishment to Tonga.

I was at that game and - if memory serves - the ref John Mean did a runner down the tunnel when it kicked off and left the police to sort it. Rumour has it that he locked himself in his dressing room and refused to come out and restart the game.

it was jeff grayshon - think he got a long ban for his actions. remember it was a big backpage headline in the tabloids