Appeal over Marrara car park brawl expected to be completed before start of the 2023 season

The president of a Darwin football club drawn into a post-match brawl after a Women’s Premier League match has spoken out for the first time. Find out what was said here.

An expected appeal over a raft of penalties handed down by football administrators over a Marrara car park brawl after a Women’s Premier League game is now expected to be completed by the start of the looming season.

Five players from Hellenic and Port Darwin received lengthy suspensions from the league, with one banned for three years and a further two players rubbed out for two years respectively following the June 26 incident.

Police have previously said the brawl was an “escalation” from tension on the field at Darwin Football Stadium.

Meanwhile, separate to the league’s actions, two Hellenic players, Paris and Joanna Makrylos, have been charged with assault and will face Darwin Local Court in September.

Five Women’s Premier League players were banned following the incident on June 26. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch.

The latter was named in the Hellenic team for the June 26 encounter at Marrara.

Peak body Football NT previously said an appeal process would be held once the matters were dealt with in Darwin Local Court.

However, this publication understands the appeal will now occur before the Premier League season starts on April 22.

It is expected to be discussed at a Football NT board meeting in coming weeks.

In a statement, Hellenic president Kosta Boubaris said the club’s “only concern is the wellbeing of all people involved” and resolving the matter as soon as possible.

“So we can all focus again on football and look forward to the 2023 season and the upcoming Women’s World Cup,” Boubaris said.

“We will continue to work with Football NT, and the individuals, to achieve these outcomes.”

Originally published as Appeal over Marrara car park brawl expected to be completed before start of the 2023 season