Brahma Lodge coach handed lengthy suspension for abuse aimed at opposition player

A local SA footy coach has been handed a lengthy suspension for abuse directed at an opposition player during an A Grade game last weekend.

An Adelaide Footy League coach has been handed a lengthy suspension for abusive language aimed at an opposition player.

Brahma Lodge A Grade coach, Matthew Leigh will serve an eight-week suspension after a verbal altercation with an Elizabeth player during his side’s 51-point division seven loss to the Eagles last Saturday.

This masthead understands Leigh’s comments were not regarded as threatening but were still considered to be a significant breach of the league’s code of conduct.

Leigh was handed the suspension by the Adelaide Footy League tribunal this week and will serve four of the weeks consecutively and four at a later date.

“The coach accepted responsibility for his actions and in turn accepted the Match Review Chairman’s findings and subsequent penalty of four matches and four matches suspended,” AdFL chief John Kernahan said.

“We’ve been really consistent in our messaging on this for a number of years and that message has centred around the fact it is a job in itself to maintain the mood between players let alone officials getting in on the act.

Brahma Lodge's A Grade coach has been handed an eight-week suspension for abusive language directed at an opposition player. Picture: Brahma Lodge Football Club

“It is widely considered that coaches are the most influential of a team’s conduct so it makes it exponentially more difficult if the coach and other officials are part of the baying mob.”

The incident comes a week after a southern suburbs club water runner was investigated for threatening an opposition player during an AdFL senior women’s game.

“The league has investigated that matter and arrived at a satisfactory position in concert with both clubs and their officials,” Kernahan said.

“We are somewhat hamstrung given the runner was not a registered official so we have no authority to demand they appear before the league … we have considered the allegations and responses from both clubs in absentia.

“The offending club concerned has certainly come to appreciate the challenge it has presented the league by not adhering to policy around the registration of volunteers and we’ll continue to work with all clubs to ensure compliance to this expectation.

“Likewise, the members of the offended club are satisfied with the league’s position and the offending club’s efforts to bring this matter, which we now consider closed, to a head.”

Adelaide Footy League chief John Kernahan. Picture: Emma Brasier

While the incident involving Leigh is the second altercation between officials and players in as many weeks, Kernahan did not believe it was a sign of a growing issue within the competition.

“We don’t think it is any more of an issue now than what it has been but what has changed is also a reflection of societal expectations, so the players themselves are bringing these incidents to our attention via the Complaint Reporting System.

“The system isn’t new … it is simply that the greater majority of players, officials and club supporters expect to participate in our competition free of that sort of confrontation and in turn expect the league to address it on their behalf when they can’t.”

The Brahma Lodge Football Club has been contacted for comment by this masthead.