Fan ejected from Etihad Stadium after throwing Coke bottle onto surface
VICTORIA police have ejected an Etihad Stadium patron who threw a coke bottle onto the playing surface, landing close to two players in a bizarre incident during Sunday’s Carlton-Western Bulldogs clash.
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VICTORIA police have ejected an Etihad Stadium patron who threw a coke bottle at two players in a bizarre incident labelled a “disgrace” by Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
An Etihad Stadium spokesman told the Herald Sun the patron was ejected by Victoria police, with the AFL to follow up with any potential punishment this week.
AFL legend Jimmy Bartel said the league should consider a life ban for the patron, with the bottle landing between Carlton’s Dale Thomas and Bulldog Lachie Hunter.
MATCH: DOGS WIN, BUT IS BLUES’ FUTURE BRIGHT?
Thomas had just been involved in a push-and-shove with Dogs players after Jed Lamb gave away a 50m penalty for hitting Marcus Bontempelli in the back.
Beveridge said after the game it was unacceptable conduct.
“I didn’t see if flung, but it’s a disgrace, so I think the great thing about Aussie rules supporters and fans is whichever fan threw that was chastised, I hope, and it would been known to them how disgraceful it was. Hopefully they were marched out of the pavilion.”
There were reports from witnesses in the crowd the man was accompanied by his father or a carer.
The Etihad Stadium spokesman would not comment on that, with Bulldogs captain Easton Wood adamant the league needed to take hardline stance about throwing of projectiles.
“Lachie said it landed between him and Daisy, so he wasn’t sure who it was aimed at but I certainly don’t condone it and you hope whoever threw it, they got rid of them,” he told the Herald Sun.
“You can’t have that. You put your body on the line but you don’t want to put your body on the line with projectiles coming out of the crowd. So we can’t condone any of that kind of stuff.”
The incident came after Lamb was again an agitator in an incident where he aggressively bodychecked Bontempelli, giving away a 50m penalty that handed Lin Jong a goal.
Carlton coach Brendon Bolton said he wanted Lamb to be aggressive but not cross the line.
“I didn’t see it. I haven’t looked at the vision. It was two competitive people going at it. We need to be disciplined but we like our players to play to the edge but never cross the line.”
The Blues will be handed their fifth wooden spoon since 2002, the only AFL club this century to win more than two last-placed finishes.
But there were a host of exciting showing from players including Harry McKay, Paddy Dow and first-gamer Tom de Koning, who was mobbed when he kicked his first AFL goal.
Kade Simpson was also superb, Bolton confirming he was certain to play on next season after being Carlton’s best player against the Dogs.
“He will play on, no doubt about it. He wants to play on, we will get it sorted through his management and SOS. It is so important to have that type of players with our profile and list.”
Bolton wouldn’t buy into the specifics of Carlton’s priority pick request or its position in the draft, saying it was a distraction to the club and players ahead of a clash against Adelaide to close out the season.
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Originally published as Fan ejected from Etihad Stadium after throwing Coke bottle onto surface