Riddell recovering from attack

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Adam MacDougall
Riddell recovering from pub incident

Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 7:12 PM

Parramatta hooker Mark Riddell has described a sickening glass attack on him as an "unfortunate" incident and won't pursue police charges on his attacker.

Riddell said he was left bloodied and dazed after being attacked with a glass from behind at an eastern suburbs pub while Wests Tigers champion Benji Marshall and prop Todd Payten were also targeted by thugs.

The Eels star was rushed to St Vincent's hospital by ambulance but left after two hours of waiting and received six stitches to his deep head wound.

Riddell said his attack was unprovoked and occurred as another patron swung a punch at Marshall.

"I was standing at the bar lining up to get a drink and I saw Benji Marshall and Todd Payten and these blokes were harassing them," said Riddell.

"One of them tried to swing a punch at Benji and just as I turned around to move over there a bloke has come from behind and other people came over and he's glassed me on the melon.

"It was (a huge shock). It was bleeding pretty bad. I went to hospital and got it all stitched up eventually today."

Despite the attack Riddell said he wouldn't pursue police charges, adding that dealing with aggressive patrons is something all NRL stars have to deal with nowadays.

"I'm not worrying about getting the police involved," he said.

"I suppose like anyone you've always got to be careful about where you are and you know I suppose it was just unfortunate that it happened."

And the portly hooker won't be using the incident as an excuse to skip preseason training at Parramatta.

While he's never been known as the most committed trainer, Riddell has vowed to be back in the gym on Friday morning to continue his challenge of becoming an 80-minute footballer.

"I'm alright, a bit of a headache obviously," said Riddell.

"We had the day off today, I will be back into it again tomorrow morning.

"It's going really good, looking forward to it. I have a good challenge ahead of me and it's going to be fun."
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Aww poor Piggy. Good on him though not making a big deal out of it. Pretty shocking though. Some people are just irrrriots!
 
I was trying to save Benji, Riddell insists
By Dean Ritchie

November 23, 2007 12:00am

IT started with a game of cards and a few beers with the boys before ending in bloodshed at a Bondi hotel.

Parramatta star Mark Riddell, the man they call Piggy, suffered a severe head wound requiring six stitches after being "glassed" in a cowardly attack.

Riddell had gone to the aid of Wests Tigers cult hero Benji Marshall, who had been assaulted at the upmarket The Eastern Hotel in Bondi Junction on Wednesday night.

"After being hit I couldn't see because there was blood all over my face," said Riddell, who was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital after the attack.

The popular Riddell had joined a group of Wests Tigers players for a drink when the drama erupted.

One pub patron shoved and slapped Marshall with an open hand, with Riddell and Wests Tigers prop Todd Payten rushing to assist their mate, as did fellow Tigers players Ben Galea, Bronson Harrison and Chris Heighington.

Riddell was at the bar when he heard the scuffle unfolding behind him.

As he went to help, he had a schooner glass smashed across the top of his head.

As blood poured from the open wound, ambulance officers feared the Parramatta star had burst a blood vessel.

The head wound measured 6cm.

Riddell was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital by ambulance but, after hours of waiting for some attention, went home in frustration.

The Eels hooker saw Parramatta doctor Michael Johnson yesterday morning and was sent to Hills Private Hospital, where he was stitched and had scans. Fortunately, he was cleared of any long-term injury.

Riddell said the incident started when drinkers started hassling Marshall.

"They were terrorising Benji," Riddell said.

"They slapped him in the face with a open hand. It was hard - it wasn't a pussy slap and they also pushed him.

"Toddy Payten tried to break it up and then I tried to do the same before another bloke came over the top and glassed me. Then it was on.

"I started throwing a few punches but couldn't see because of the blood I was losing.

"I made it down the side steps and saw security, who cleaned me up."

The Wests Tigers players had been playing cards at Payten's house before going to the pub.

It is understood some of the New Zealand team back from their European tour were also due at the pub.

Riddell, who will today return to training at Parramatta, had been to dinner at Woolloomooloo before going to The Eastern.

He was unaware the Wests Tigers players were at the pub.

"The ambos couldn't believe the amount of blood I was losing," Riddell said.

"They also said they have seen a couple of glassings lately.

"But luckily it wasn't in my eye or face. I'm OK today but have some headaches."

Riddell said he did want to notify police when asked by hotel security. But it is understood police are angry at not being informed of the brawl.

No charges have been laid.

Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce yesterday spoke to his players, who claimed they were innocent and provoked by the group of drinkers. Witnesses who rang The Daily Telegraph yesterday supported the footballers' claims.

"I spoke to a couple of the boys and they said they were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Noyce said.

"There was some pushing and shoving. Unfortunately some people at the pub were looking for trouble. Attempts were made to calm the situation but there was trouble.

"But the players, including Benji, left the establishment."

Marshall's manager Martin Tauber said: "Benji was trying to act as mediator and then suddenly it was on."
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If i was Piggy, i would have laid charges. Anyone who is sick enough to go bottling people shouldn't be able to just walk away like that. Disgusts me.
 
It seems alot more serious:
Guns.... :shock:

League stars threatened with a gun
By Melissa Woods

Benji Marshall's manager Martin Tauber said another Wests Tigers player, also one of his clients, told him that one of the alleged provocateurs had a pistol.

"Some blokes started picking on Ben Galea and Benji tried to act as mediator and then Mark Riddell stepped in and got a glass over his head," said Tauber.

"The worst of it was that three or four of them were bikies and one said to one of my clients who was there, `You're professionals, we're f**king criminals', and pulled a gun.

"It was all just totally unprovoked."

The incident wasn't reported to police, with Tauber saying the players had left it up to Riddell, who had chosen not to.

A police spokesperson said the matter would not be pursued unless it was reported.

The NRL had spoken to both clubs and neither had mentioned a gun, while none of the players involved could be contacted by AAP to confirm a gun had been brandished.

"I'm not sure where Martin is coming from with that. All I can tell you is that it's never been mentioned by either of the clubs, Wests Tigers or Parramatta," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.

Parramatta hooker Mark Riddell was glassed in the head and said he'd been going to the aid of Marshall who was being "terrorised" and was slapped by a group of men at The Eastern Hotel in Bondi Junction in Sydney.

In March last year, Marshall was reportedly assaulted in an unprovoked attack at a Coffs Harbour pub while Tauber said the 22-year-old was also harassed into a confrontation while on the Gold Coast for the Indy carnival last month.

"He came out of a function with a girl and two guys started to harass him and Benji told them to give it a break and then one circled him and went to punch him and Benji hit him," Tauber said.

"It was totally unprovoked, Benji didn't do anything.

"The difficulty is that he's highly recognised, he's very outgoing and people know of him — that flick pass that happened in 2005 in the grand final became folklore.

"The trouble is that there are so many idiots out there today who just think it's appropriate to pick on somebody of that stature in the hope that they'll build their own ego."

Tauber said that Marshall and his teammates felt they had to go out in a group.

"For the simple reason that one has to protect the other," he said.

"He might just be a little bit more careful about where he goes or what time he goes but he'll still be the same person.

"He's not frightened."

Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce said he had spoken to Marshall about the latest incident, but had not suggested a curfew to the usually fun-loving five-eighth.

"I think that would be taking it too far," Noyce said.

"They need to be conscious that part of their profile in the game places them in positions at times that may not alway be what you want."

Noyce said he thought there was little to Wednesday's incident.

"I think there's probably been a little bit of poetic licence with some aspects of the report in the paper from the one on Wednesday night," he said.

"We've all probably found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and to Benji and his teammates' credit they identified that and got out of there.

"I think there's no need to take it any further than that."
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At the rate this is going, soon it will be revealed that Piggy was actually undercover for the FBI and the gun was actually a C4.
 
Untitled23 said:
At the rate this is going, soon it will be revealed that Piggy was actually undercover for the FBI and the gun was actually a C4.
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:lol: Thats a good call I await the full story of ur exclusive in the paper tommorrow

But in all seriousness i so doubt this is true it is so hard 2 get a gun licence and any little thing and they will take. The likely hood that someone actually got a gun got it into a place in sydeny, threatned someone with it and then just walked away is next to nil
 
gun licence.... it was the guy who started the fight.... very possible. You dont need a gun licence to get a gun...there is always the black market. In sydeny today we just had a bank hold up.... and police were having lunch next door, and they got caught and fired shots beforre being arrested. There are shootings from time to time. So if you ask me, its very possible.
 
Yeah ok :lol: If someone pulled a gun in a nightclub or bar or where ever it was there is no way someone wouldn't call the police or report it. And getting a gun licence is hard u should try it. U can buy guns illegally which would explain the bank robbery i don't think they would be worried about breaking the law, and the guy that did this may also have done that but i would bet everything i have it didn't happen, just someone looking 2 seel papers
 
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