Tedesco fears for player safety with pitch invaders

James Tedesco has admitted his fears for player safety after a pitch invader was able to reach and hug St George Illawarra centre Zac Lomax on Anzac Day.

A man ran onto the field late in the second half of the Dragons' 27-26 loss to the Sydney Roosters, as play was stopped for a captain's challenge.

The man was able to run to the middle of the field where he stood for some time waving his shirt around, before attracting the attention of security.

He then ran towards the players and hugged Lomax, as the Dragons centre remained unmoved and did not react.

Vision of the incident also shows a security guard collecting a walkie-talkie that fell out of his pocket, rather than stopping the man as he approaches Cricthon.

Asked about the incident, Roosters, NSW and Kangaroos Test captain Tedesco said security had to be better.

"It's very dangerous," Tedesco said. 

"Who knows what the invader could have on them or (if they want to) attack a player. It is a bit scary. 

"Obviously security needs to be a bit better there and not allow pitch invaders to get in contact with any players."

Dragons captain Ben Hunt also said it was a concern for players.

"I guess it is a bit of a concern if someone can get to a player and tackle them or something like that," Hunt said. 

"I guess it's dangerous, but what can you do? 

"You can't put 1000 security around the fence. You've just got to be aware of them when they come."

The incident comes amid a spate of crowd invasions in the NRL in the past year.

Then Wests Tigers captain James Tamou called for a protester at a game last year to be a wake-up call for officials, after he brought a flare onto Pointsbet Stadium and had to be held by Tigers lock Joe Ofahenguae.

Dragons prop Blake Lawrie was also forced to stop a pitch invader in a game in Wollongong last year after he remained on the field for a full minute and ran up and down the sideline.

Former Canberra playmaker Mark McLinden was the most bizarre pitch invader of 2022, after storming the field during the grand final.

McLinden removed the padding from the goal posts as he attempted to tie himself to it as part of a climate protest.