SANFL investigates incident at junior football match in which parents traded punches, player hit

A JUNIOR football game on Friday night turned ugly when parents and spectators came on to the field throwing punches after an incident between players.

• Bachar Houli furore ‘sends wrong message about punching’
• Bachar Houli’s suspension, ban for striking Jed Lamb
• Police say 20 people involved in amateur footy brawl

PARENTS and spectators at a junior football match ran on to the field and threw punches during an ugly incident at Largs North.

The violence at an under-15s game between Angle Vale and North Haven at Largs North Oval on Friday night began with a fight between players that left an Angle Vale player bleeding from the head.

It is understood parents rushed on to the field after a boundary umpire, who was also an Angle Vale parent, became involved.

The Angle Vale club has defended the umpire, saying he was not an aggressor but was trying to break up the fight.

The violence happened on the “final siren”, according to the SANFL.

The league says its integrity department is investigating, adding reports an Angle Vale player was “knocked out” were false.

SANFL general manager Adam Kelly told the Sunday Mail the league’s first priority was the welfare of the players.

“SANFL staff are working with both clubs to fully investigate this matter and to consider what sanctions may apply, as well as determining whether the matter will be referred to police,” he said.

The SANFL says it is investigating a brawl at an under-15s game between Angle Vale and North Haven.

“We have spoken with both clubs and understand the Angle Vale player who was allegedly knocked to the ground is doing OK.”

The incident was not reported to police on Friday night.

A video of the game will be provided to the SANFL by the clubs and used as evidence.

Angle Vale Football Club president Trevor Spong said one their players came off with “blood streaming from his head” after being hit.

He also confirmed the boundary umpire involved was a parent of an Angle Vale player.

“I’m at the moment trying to understand whether the umpire’s version of events is a true reflection,” he said.

“The video actually shows him in there putting his arms out to keep players away from each other.”

He said both clubs and the SANFL were investigating the incident, and was “confident that on review there is equal blame to share on both sides”.

“There is evidence to suggest that North Haven were actually the instigators and evidence to suggest that North Haven parents and spectators actually came on to the field and were throwing punches and joined in.”

Mr Spong said no one wanted to see that kind of behaviour in football.

“We don’t want to see kids in junior football pushing, shoving or having any sort of violence towards each other,” he said.

North Haven Football Club secretary David Kolbig said the club had “full confidence the league has the ability to handle this situation in a professional manner”. He would not comment further.

It comes after Victoria Police last week charged North Melbourne great Glenn Archer with unlawful assault over an incident at a under-15s junior game. Archer admitted to pushing a boundary umpire.