MILLIONAIRE Cronulla Sharks boss Peter Gow punched a former international
player and slashed a St George-Illawarra jersey in a restaurant fight last
night.
Barry Beath, who played for St George and Australia, said Gow struck him six
times.
The incident occurred just before 6pm while Beath and Gow, 58, were dining
at separate tables at Cronulla Leagues Club's chinese restaurant.
Both men had earlier watched Cronulla defeat St George-Illawarra in a tense
match at Shark Park.
Near Beath, also having dinner, was a party of St George supporters, one
wearing a St George-Illawarra jumper.
Gow, the father of supermodel Elle Macpherson, removed the jumper from a
diner believed to be in his early 20s by ripping it off his back.
"I then saw Gow cutting the St George jumper with what might have been a
carving knife or scissors; it was in about eight pieces," Beath told The
Daily Telegraph last night.
"He was parading it around the restaurant laughing and saying this is what
the Sharks did to St George today. I couldn't believe it and said that sort
of behaviour was not on.
"I told him he was defacing the St George jumper.
"The jumper had signatures on it and I pulled it away from Gow to give it
back to the young bloke
"Gow then turned around and laid about six punches on me.
"I did not lay a hand on him because somebody came and grabbed me.
"If that had not happened I might have snapped and killed the prick.
"Gow came at me again and put a few more on my face before the bouncers
arrived.
"I wasn't hurt but Gow humiliated the St George jumper, that's what got my
back up."
At the height of the melee Sharks sponsor Kieran Tynan from Tynan Motors
Sutherland and Cronulla marketing manager John Sweeting tried to intervene.
Mr Tynan received a cut eyebrow when struck by Gow's elbow and Sweeting
suffered a swollen jaw.
Beath said Gow had to be restrained by club bouncers, Sharks' coach John
Lang and football manger Steve Rogers.
After Gow had been ushered out of the restaurant, Lang asked Beath not to go
to the media about the incident.
Rogers declined to comment other than to confirm there had been an incident
involving Gow and Beath.
Beath said he would take the matter further if he didn't receive an apology
from Gow.
Beath will today consider whether to take civil or police action against Gow
and the NRL will call for a full report on the incident.
Gow and the Cronulla club can be heavily fined under the NRL's rules
governing players or officials bringing the game into disrepute.
The Cronulla Leagues Club and restaurant overlook Shark Park which attracted
a record 22,279 to the local derby game.
Last year Gow was charged with assault after head-butting a Sydney City
supporter in the Members Stand at the SFS during a Roosters-Sharks game.
Gow approached three men who had been taunting Sharks' supporters and
players during the match on June 2 last year.
Gow head-butted Gavin Lesnie, fracturing his right nasal bone, after Sydney
City supporter called Gow a "f...... *******".
During the scuffle Gow nearly fell over the parapet and 15m to the lower
deck of the grandstand.
A magistrate found the offence proven but did not record a conviction,
placing Gow on a 12-month good behaviour bond.