Mr Harding has refereed both codes, in Group 10 and Central West Rugby Union’s respective grade competitions, and said in his experience referee abuse from the sideline doesn’t happen as often as outsiders might think.

Although, he did concede there are rare circumstances when the issue rears its ugly head.

“Honestly, it isn’t too big of a problem around here,” Mr Harding said.

“Most of the comments you get around here are quite light-hearted. I don’t think I’ve ever really experienced anything personal or nasty while I’ve been refereeing, and if I have it’s been very rare.

“There is always the classic ‘get them onside ref’ and that kind of thing, but that isn’t abuse.

“From my experience the rugby union crowds are normally really good, and the league crowds are fine as well. There is sometimes a small minority who think because they’ve paid their money they can say whatever they want, though.”

Mr Harding said even if a vicious verbal attack like the Fifitas’ alleged comments was to happen, most local referees remain confident in the protocols in place to have the guilty parties dealt with.

“All the clubs around here have ground managers and marshals who act on it pretty quickly,” he explained.

Mr Harding did concede referee abuse - as much the potential of it happening - does create an issue in recruiting and retaining referees, with numbers of those officiating on the decline.

“It might sound contradictory to what I’ve already said, but it does make it hard to get new guys in, or get guys coming back, especially young guys,” he explained.

“I know our numbers in Group 10 have dropped significantly in recent years, and a lot of young guys don’t want to be in that position.

“[The Fifita brothers incident] will only make it tougher. I think they’ve already lost one of the touch judges from that incident. You see it on television and think it could happen (in our region).”