Tigers’ response to nightclub fight ‘greenlighting violence’

Richmond’s response to an ugly bar brawl involving two of the club’s players has been slammed for promoting “toxic masculinity”.

Former Bachelorette and TV reporter Georgia Love has slammed Richmond coach Damien Hardwick’s response to the nightclub altercation involving Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Monday, Hardwick conceded Saturday night’s incident “wasn’t ideal”, but threw his support behind his players.

“A player’s partner was put in an inappropriate situation that she didn’t feel comfortable with, and Daniel (Rioli) stood up and tried to eradicate the situation (and) was punched in the eye,” Hardwick said.

“I don’t condone violence, but the reality is, put anyone in that situation, they’re going to stand up for their partner and their mates. Shai was the same.”

But Love tweeted that Hardwick should have known better than to defend the players’ actions and the ensuing violence, believed to have been sparked by “inappropriate behaviour” from another patron towards Rioli’s girlfriend, DJ and social media influencer Paris Lawrence.

“‘We don’t condone violence, but we understand …’ This is simply not good enough from someone in a position as high as a premiership coach,” she wrote.

“Effectively green lighting violence and toxic masculinity from this level is mind blowing and has the potential to be incredibly dangerous.”

“We don’t condone violence, but we understand...”
This is simply not good enough from someone in a position as high as a premiership coach. Effectively green lighting violence and toxic masculinity from this level is mind blowing and has the potential to be incredibly dangerous

— Georgia Love (@GeorgieALove) May 10, 2021

Love doubled down when other users pointed out that Rioli was standing up for his girlfriend.

“So the best response is to get in a physical fight? This is my point, it’s toxic masculinity. Violence should never be excused, and women don’t need men fighting others on their behalves,’’ she wrote.

Georgia Love has condemned Hardwick’s response to the nightclub fight involving two of his players.

Daniel Rioli with girlfriend Paris Lawrence.

Love, a Channel 7 reporter, added: “The light I’m trying to shine is on Hardwick’s public green lighting of violence. It doesn’t matter who hit who first, the narrative today should be that a physical fight in a nightclub is not acceptable in any circumstance.”

Richmond Football Club confirmed Rioli and Bolton would not be punished for their involvement in the brawl at Club YoYo in Melbourne’s CBD.

Rioli needed stitches after he was punched in the face, while Bolton is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after he broke his wrist during the fracas.

Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale said he would have preferred the players walked away from the situation.

“It’s something we’d prefer not to be having to deal with,” he said on SEN radio.

“At the end of the day, Daniel and Shai responded to what they deemed to be inappropriate conduct.

“They took what steps were necessary, we’d rather they didn't, we’d prefer they didn’t but they did.

“They’re young men and sometimes you can’t put old heads on young shoulders.”

Originally published as Tigers’ response to nightclub fight ‘greenlighting violence’