League star's uncle killed in park bashing

October 26, 2008

Richard Saunders, the uncle of rugby league star Johnathan Thurston, died in an attack in the early hours of Saturday morning at Ewing Park, Woodridge, south of Brisbane. Two teenagers have been charged. A woman at the scene said Saunders and two friends were attacked unprovoked by a mob of 50 people of Maori appearance, and said Saunders was hit with a fence paling and bottles 100 times. Saunders is the brother of Thurston's mother Debbie who is Aboriginal. The two other men are in hospital. Bystanders said the brawl was the result of friction between two local groups.

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