EDFL: Coburg Districts, Northern Saints players suspended

The final siren was just seconds away when an ugly melee broke out, resulting in ten EDFL players being suspended for a total of 16 weeks.

Ten players have been suspended following a fiery Essendon District league clash last weekend.

Suspensions totalling 16 weeks were handed down to players from Division 2 clubs Coburg Districts and Northern Saints by the EDFL tribunal last week.

Footage of the game available online shows a melee breaking out with just seconds remaining in the last quarter of the round 6 clash on May 21.

Umpires can be seen keeping a close eye on the situation.

Even after the two sides had been separated, verbals were traded as players left the ground.

Match officials had left the ground as this continued.

At the tribunal on May 24, Coburg Districts’ John Delacoe was cited for two incidents — engaging in a melee and striking — and given a two-match ban.

Ten players have been suspended following a fiery EDFL clash.

His teammate Sebastian Eaton was given a one-game suspension for engaging in a melee

Abdul Halim Khodr, of the Northern Saints, served the first week of his three-match ban on Saturday for engaging in a melee and misconduct.

Saints pair Anthony Petrocco and El-Amir Abdul-Wahed were both given two-week suspensions for rough conduct.

Their teammate Abdul El-Rafei was charged with misconduct and is serving a two-game ban.

Khaled Atik, Khodr Taleb and Mohammad Taleb, also of Northern Saints, were given a one-match ban for engaging in a melee and will be eligible for selection next weekend.

Coburg Districts won the game by 70 points.

Avondale Heights’ Joshua Robinson was the only other senior player in the EDFL to face the tribunal last weekend.

He was given a one-match ban for using abusive language towards an umpire and missed his side’s clash with Pascoe Vale.