Ten Injured After Car Crashes into Newcastle Knights Supporters

Ten people have been injured after a vehicle crashed into a crowd of Newcastle Knights rugby league fans gathered to see off their team ahead of the NRL grand final. The incident occurred around 9:30 am on Saturday at a roundabout on Newcastle Link Road in Newcastle's west, where thousands of supporters had lined the streets as the team bus departed for Sydney.

Victim Conditions and Hospital Status

According to Hunter New England Health and New South Wales Police, a five-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. A 67-year-old man initially reported in critical condition is now in a serious but stable state. Four additional victims, including a two-year-old girl, another five-year-old girl, a 31-year-old woman, and a 48-year-old man, remain hospitalised in stable conditions. Four individuals—a 63-year-old woman and three men aged 24, 25, and 27—have been discharged.

One of the injured supporters, Chris Clancy, shared on social media that he suffered a broken left collarbone requiring surgery and a suspected broken or sprained right foot. Newcastle Knights captain Kalyn Ponga and CEO Peter Parr both publicly expressed their support for the victims and the broader community following the incident.

Teenage Driver Facing Multiple Charges

Police have charged the 18-year-old driver, Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, with nine offences after he was allegedly driving erratically. The charges include dangerous driving, negligent driving occasioning bodily harm, and causing bodily harm by misconduct. Authorities suspended his P1 Provisional licence and seized the vehicle for forensic examination. Two teenage passengers present in the car were unharmed.

In response to the incident, a GoFundMe campaign established to assist those affected by the crash has raised over $17,000.