A COUNTRY rugby league grand final has been abandoned as the match descended into chaos after a player allegedly headbutted a referee.

A whopping seven players were sent off in the Group 4 clash between rivals the North Tamworth Bears and West Lions before the game had to be cut short by five minutes, with Norths well ahead of Wests 36-12.

Tempers flared up a number of times throughout the match.

Even the reserve grade fixture had five players dismissed.

Police are reportedly investigating the alleged assault on referee James Brown, while rugby league officials will look into threats made against him by spectators as he was walking from the field.

Watch the incident in the video player above.

Vision of the match — including the incident — was posted to YouTube and has since clocked up over 10,000 views.

In the footage, West Lions centre Sean Nean is seen headbutting an opposition player who was celebrating a try.

A North Tamworth Bears player celebrates after scoring a try. Source: YouTube

Nean is then given his marching orders by referee Brown before running up to him and allegedly making contact.

He then lashes out at former NRL player Tom Learoyd-Lahrs before being dragged away by a teammate and trainer.

The Group 4 judiciary panel will meet in the coming weeks to determine whether a lifelong ban is handed down to Nean, while a number of other players may also be given suspensions.

Nean’s brother Matt was also sent off in the match after making contact with the referee.

“I’m shattered, angry, disappointed, it’s hard because it’s two years in a row that the grand final has finished like this,” Group 4 president Mick Schmiedel told The Northern Daily Leader.

“We will stamp out this behaviour because we want to protect the image and integrity of the game.”

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