Police called to local footy match as players and spectators brawl

League officials have spoken publicly for the first time since a local footy game was called off due to a wild brawl, saying they “need help” to end the “disturbing” behaviour.

A local footy competition at the centre of a local footy brawl last weekend has spoken publicly for the first time.

In a joint statement released on Thursday morning by Essendon District league chairman Bernie Shinners and chief executive Andrew Johnston called out a string of incidents which had occurred in the opening weeks of the season.

Although it did not directly speak on the incident which forced the Division 1 senior men’s clash between St Albans and Hillside to be called off.

“The Essendon District Football League has a very proud 93-year history of promoting a safe, inclusive, and healthy environment in the community. For the 2023 season, this is no exception,” the statement said.

“As our football community grows, it’s important to reflect on the many and varied roles that support our great game. Players, coaches, umpires, administrators, supporters, parents, and volunteers. Every role is required for the game to exist and to prosper.

“Every one of these people need our support and our respect.

“However, in the first few weeks of our game there has been a corresponding increase in incidents at games and on social media. We’ve seen disturbing altercations lately involving spectators and players – threatening behaviour, verbal abuse, and alarmingly, even isolated incidents of physical abuse.

“These acts have no place in our game. The damage anti-social behaviour does to our game cannot be understated.”

Johnston and Shinners both called on followers of the league to help end the behaviour.

“We’ve seen too many umpires leave our game prematurely, too many young players driven away by the behaviour of their peers and/or adults, and too many community supporters who feel unsafe to attend the game they love,” they said.

“Although we’re determined to stamp this behaviour out, we need your help.

“We are asking every parent, player, official, supporter and spectator to offer their support “the correct way”.

“Everyone can make the decision to be supportive and encouraging rather than critical or abusive, you can be the parent, player, official, supporter or spectator that holds their tongue when you perceive a poor decision or want to say something to your own or the other team.

“Only you can consciously recognise that nothing you do or say will change an umpire’s decision. Only you can discourage and refrain from anti-social behaviour.

“With this level of support, more children, more players, more umpires, and more volunteers will find reasons to stay in the game they love rather than being given reasons to quit.”

EARLIER

New footage has emerged of a local footy brawl in the Essendon District league on Saturday afternoon.

The Essendon District league Division 1 clash between St Albans and Hillside at Kings Park was abandoned at three-quarter-time as a result of the incident.

Before that clubs had already been summoned to a compulsory “special club meeting” on Wednesday night to discuss the “ongoing and increasing behaviour” of club representatives.

Just days after the meeting was called, the Division 1 clash between St Albans and Hillside at Kings Park was abandoned at three-quarter-time due to the violence on Saturday.

But it can be revealed, league officials wrote to clubs last week demanding their attendance at a “special club meeting” on Wednesday, May 24.

“This meeting has been called to address the ongoing and increasing behaviour of club officials, players and supporters towards umpires, opposition players and supporters,” the email said.

“This meeting is compulsory for club representatives to attend. Failure to attend will result in the club being fined a significant amount.

“Club officials required to attend 1. president 2. secretary and 3. a junior representative e.g. junior Coordinator; junior coaching coordinator or similar.”

Since the incident, Victoria Police issued a statement to Leader saying no violence would be tolerated at community sporting events.

“It doesn’t matter whether it happens on the field, on the street or in the home, any form of violence is unacceptable,” it said.

“While we appreciate that there is an edge to contact sports which can result in some natural levels of aggression between competitors, there is a line and it is completely unacceptable for anyone to be punched, kicked or violently assaulted during a sporting match.

“The community can be assured any report of an assault will be investigated thoroughly. In order for this to happen, a report needs to be made to police so that it can be investigated.”

Police were called to the scene at the weekend, breaking up the fight and escorting both parties out of the venue.

In a statement, a police spokesperson said no official complaints had been made at this stage.

“Police attended a football game in Kings Park on Saturday, 20 May,” it said.

“It is understood players from both teams and spectators were fighting at a sports ground on Gillespie Road and police arrived and separated the parties.

“There were no official complaints made to police and no one was taken into custody.”

Hillside were leading the match at the time it was called off, 9.5 (59) to 5.11 (41), and have been provisionally awarded the four points.

The EDFL is still investigating the incident and is yet to speak publicly.

Only two quarters of the game have been made available for viewing online.