League investigates after fighting prompts umpires to call off women’s match

A football league has asked two clubs for a please-explain after a brawl between players prompted the umpires to call off a senior women’s game.

The Narre South Saints posted a number of action photos of the match before it was called off. Pic: Facebook

A senior women’s football match was called off on Saturday after fighting broke out between players.

The game between Narre South Saints and Lyndale was abandoned in the second quarter at Strathaird Reserve in Narre Warren South.

The Saints’ team was playing for the first time and leading Lyndale 3.4 (22) to 0.0 (0).

Southern Football Netball League chief executive officer Lee Hartman said the league had asked both clubs for a please-explain.

He said umpires supplied by the clubs decided to call the game off.

Hartman said players had been sent from the ground during the match but there were no reports.

“We’re looking into what has happened, and we’ll work with both clubs to make sure we can offer a safe environment going forward,’’ Hartman said.

“Participants, whether it’s male or female, have to realise that we’re not going to tolerate bad behaviour and having games called off through melees and other acts of violence.

“The umpires did the right thing in calling it off because it was getting out of control.’’

Southern league CEO Lee Hartman.

Hartman said there were “issues on both sides and we’ll work through it with both clubs, because something needs to happen … unruly player behaviour like this needs to be stamped out very quickly’’.

He said the league could apply a range of penalties, including suspending players or even removing teams from the competition.

The clubs were playing a grading game.

Lyndale – which has had great success in women’s football, producing a number of VFLW players – declined to comment.

Narre South has been contacted.

It was an eventful start to the season for Southern, with the lights going out in the Division 1 night match between Port Melbourne Colts and St Kilda City, and the Division 4 game between Doveton Eagles and Lyndhurst shortened after an Eagles player suffered a broken leg in the second quarter.