Officers interviewed the man at length after the incident. He is not a Sharks employee but works for a company called Green Options, which is contracted to take care of the turf and game equipment at Southern Cross Group Stadium.


Quick actions by teammates meant the child was not hurt. Picture The Daily Telegrapgh

A police spokesman said no further action was expected to be taken against him.

Three-year-old Rocco Heighington was caught underneath the vehicle but not seriously hurt. Quick action by teammates Andrew Fifita, Sam Tagataese and Ben Barba had Rocco quickly freed and taken to medical staff.

The club said Rocco, along with parents Chris and Sonia, was recovering well.

“Our priority has been their welfare,” said Sharks chief executive Lyall Gorman. “We need a detailed review of what’s happened and the hows and whys. And more importantly we want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Gorman wants revised protocols on clearing away equipment from the field, such as goalpost padding and corner posts. But he has dismissed suggestions the club would cease the practice of allowing kids to run on the field and meet their heroes after fulltime.

“We won’t stop that, but the two things can’t be on the field at the same time,” he said.

The groundsman apparently threw corner posts into the buggy and they hit the accelerator pedal moving the vehicle forward.

“It was a freakish accident,” Gorman said. “All our staff, including the attendant who had been driving the vehicle, are all distressed.”