Luke Helps, the supporter who was hit by Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, takes to field under security guard
SECURITY guards were called in to protect Luke Helps as he returned to the field to play for the Hackham Hawks after an altercation with Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
SECURITY guards were called in to protect Luke Helps, the “likable larrikin” footy fan, as he returned to the field to play for the Hackham Hawks after an altercation with Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
The club paid between $500 and $600 for two security guards from the private firm ACG to shadow Mr Helps’ every move as he suited up for his club in the Division 1 reserves clash against Marion at Hackham on Saturday.
The Hackham Hawks rallied around Mr Helps, after a week in which he was criticised by sports commentators for his role in the confrontation with Clarkson last weekend.
Supporters and teammates shouted encouragement to the young footballer as he warmed up and again during the game.
Mr Helps made national headlines when Clarkson struck him twice in the upper chest outside the Hawthorn team’s Adelaide hotel after being angered by a pro-Port Adelaide rant.
But the guards only had to protect Mr Helps from waiting media and ironically appealed for his privacy in the wake of the media storm that followed a mate posting a video on social media of the incident between him and Clarkson.
Port Adelaide had narrowly defeated Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval when Clarkson was heckled while returning to his hotel room without security.
“Clarko, how was the win today mate? How was the win today, brother?” Mr Helps said as the incident was filmed by a mate before yelling, “Go Power’’, into the camera.
Mr Helps, a Geelong supporter, will be called before the board of the Hackham Hawks, which plays in the Southern Football League under the same colours as Hawthorn.
The club, which has described him as a “likable larrikin’’, would not say on Saturday if the matter had been dealt with.
Any disciplinary hearing would not be conducted by the league but by the club itself.
Mr Helps declined to speak to the Sunday Mail.