THE GROUP 10 premier league game between Mudgee Dragons and Lithgow Workies was called off after 37 minutes of play yesterday.
Four separate brawls and three sin bins on the field was enough for referee Brett Masters and his officials to finish the game with an 8-6 lead to Lithgow.
The first brawl came in only the seventh minute of a physical encounter and Masters warned both sides of their responsibilities.
After the second fight Mudgee's Jono George and Lithgow's Corey Willmott were sin-binned.
The third melee after the twenty-second minute saw Lithgow halfback Josh Howarth also spending ten minutes in the sheds.
As the fourth fight erupted with less than eight minutes remaining the game was called off.
Mudgee Dragons captain Matt Stott said it was a disappointing finish to what could have been a great game.
"I don't know what to say," he said.
"It's a shame really. It's a waste. It did get physical out there but that is what happens.
"Two blokes trying to tackle each other, that is what the game is all about.
"It's a big call 35 minutes into the first half but what do you do?
"You know it's all heated stuff, blokes in each other's faces. A lot of time and preparation goes into games like today and there is a valuable two points on the line."
Lithgow Workies coach Graeme Osborne agreed.
"It's disappointing for the fans and disappointing for the game," he said.
"It's probably an easy way out. It was a top of the table clash, two good sides, two good clubs, and unfortunately the crowd probably got a bit too riled up too and perhaps encouraged players on the field."
Osborne said there wasn't the same issues as the CYMS and Hawks game that also ended abruptly in 2011.
Mudgee Dragons president Roger Lang said the crowd would suffer from what was built up as a great game.
"I know it was a hard game of football and physical and I thought Brett has handling well by sin binning blokes, but it's a pity for the big crowd that was here," he said.
Among all of the fighting some football was played.
On the back of three consecutive penalties Lithgow crossed in the ninth minute through prop forward Chris Rhodes.
Not long after Mudgee winger Jeremy Lang scored out wide and Matt Stott's conversion into the sun saw scores at 6-4.
However minutes before the final brawl Rhodes crashed over again for his second try to make the score 8-6 in favour of Lithgow.
The score remained by the time of a final whistle.
At this stage the Mudgee Guardian is unaware of who has been declared a winner or if one will be declared.
The newspaper contacted Group 10 president Linore Zamparini on Sunday afternoon who said footage and other evidence of the game would be looked at this week before any comment was made.
MUDGEE DRAGONS 6 (Jeremy Lang try; Mat Stott goal) def by. LITHGOW WORKIES 8 (Chris Rhodes 2 tries).