Paul Gallen slams ‘idiots’ at New Zealand Warriors vs Broncos game for appalling behaviour in Napier

Footy legend Paul Gallen has condemned the pitch invaders during Saturday’s game between the Warriors and Broncos at Napier – and insists the NRL should stop taking games around New Zealand if ‘idiots’ can’t behave.

The Warriors were beaten by an understrength Broncos side 26-22 in a game that was repeatedly interrupted by pitch invasions at McLean Park.

The game went right down to the wire, but the big talking point on social media afterwards was the many pitch invaders who ran onto the field.

Gallen, who says he’s happy to see more matches played in New Zealand since the pandemic, was furious about the interruptions from the crowd. 

‘The behaviour of the crowd was appalling, to be honest,’ Gallen said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

Paul Gallen has condemned the pitch invaders during Saturday’s game between the Warriors and Broncos at Napier in New Zealand

Gallen, who says he’s happy to see more matches played in New Zealand since the pandemic, was furious about the interruptions from the crowd on Saturday night

‘I’ve been a big advocate for having as much rugby league over in New Zealand as we possibly can, being able to take games all around the country. But the way that crowd behaved last night it’s going to be impossible.

‘The NRL can’t let more games go there and travel around the country. To have three or four streakers across the night is not good enough for a professional league like the NRL.

‘It was terrible behaviour.

‘All the sacrifices the Warriors have made in the last few years to keep the game going, the country deserves more rugby league over there, but they simply can’t take them there.

‘Just idiots. Just a stupid thing to do, just dumb.’

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Gallen wasn’t the only former pro who was dissapointed by the pitch invaders, with former All Black Israel Dagg calling on Kiwi crowds to boo them instead of cheer. 

‘People encouraging these streakers should be embarrassed! he wrote on Twitter.

‘Don’t applaud them!! Boo them!! It’s appalling.’

New Zealand’s skipper Tohu Harris also expressed his frustrations with the repeated interruptions from the crowd at Napier

New Zealand’s skipper Tohu Harris also expressed his frustrations with the crowd at Napier. 

‘It gets really annoying, especially when we’re trying to get ourselves back into the game,’ he said after the match.

The Warriors had similar issue during their opening game of the season against Newcastle, with 13 pitch invasions which left a couple of security guards injured.

Security boss Ben Wooding, who runs Red Badge Security, said if the trend continues New Zealand might have to change the way they view sports.

‘As much as the next person, I’m convinced it’s the Warriors’ year, and I don’t think anyone wants to be turning up to sporting events with big cages surrounding the field,’ Wooding said.

‘We see in other places around the world where there are big cages, or there are security guards standing shoulder to shoulder and I don’t think that’s the direction we want to go.

‘I think our staff have got the right to be safe, they turn up to work and we’re putting these events on alongside the stadiums, and we’re focused on the safety of fans, players and I think we should be thinking about our staff as well who are in the firing line.’

Police said 12 people who had entered McLean Park in the closing 10 minutes of the match on Saturday were apprehended by Red Badge security and then arrested.

Pitch invasion is illegal in New Zealand and carries a maximum fine of $5000 or a three-month term behind bars.