Crack down on drunken AFL footy fan brawls

COPS will crack down on drunk fans after several sickening brawls marred the game in the past week. Footy legends have also joined the call to end the violence and keep fans safe.

COPS will tackle drunken footy louts in a bid to boot spectator violence marring the game.

Victoria Police will meet venue chiefs at Etihad Stadium this week amid wideranging calls for more to be done to keep fans safe.

Lifetime bans, stopping “pre-loaded drunks” from entering ­venues, extending booze-free bays, separating booze-fuelled supporters from families and cutting the strength of alcohol served are among options to be considered.

FOOTY FANS INJURED IN BLOODY BRAWL

ST KILDA AND COLLINGWOOD FANS FIGHT

It follows four separate violent clashes at AFL matches between drunken thugs in a week:

THREE people were injured in a bloody brawl between nine fans at Etihad Stadium’s Medallion Club on Friday night. Police charged one man and the hunt continues for several more middle-aged men involved in the ugly melee;

CHILDREN were left screaming and crying after witnessing a man being glassed in the face at the Stella Artois Lounge at GMHBA Stadium during the Geelong-Carlton showdown on Saturday. Fans fled as blood covered the floor; and

LAST weekend at Etihad, 10 Collingwood and St Kilda fans threw fists and wrestled on the floor surrounded by shattered glass as thuggish supporters egged them on, with one shouting “knock him out”. In a separate fight on the same night, a supporter was shoved through the door of a food shop as fans made their way home.

Bloody brawl at Etihad Stadium on May 25. Picture: 9 News

The May 21 brawl at Etihad Stadium. Picture: 9 News

Victoria Police Superintendent Peter O’Neill said authorities would review where they had officers placed at stadiums to allow troublemakers to be quickly identified and dealt with.

Supt O’Neill said the brawls were not a good look, ­especially for families with young children. He said some fans arrived at stadiums after “preloading” at pubs and bars.

“It looks terrible,” he told the Herald Sun. “These people are old enough to know ­better.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said once tough love was handed out, culprits just might stop the ­violent behaviour.

“If you carry on like that at a sporting event in America, you are cuffed and marched off,” he said. “We don’t need any more rules. We just need to prosecute the rules as intended.”

“If you transgress, you cop the full weight of the law, bang, arrested and into the clink.”

Stadiums will be asked to review how they serve alcohol and the strength of the booze.

Shane Crawford was among greats of the game who has called for an end to the ­violence.

“There needs to be really tough penalties, even life bans, because we as football-loving people don’t need to be putting up with that crap,” he said.

“Especially when we are taking our kids along.”

This fight broke out between Collingwood and St Kilda fans on May 21 at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Channel 9

Geelong’s Billy Brownless said it was sickening.

“All you have to do is look at the impact on the friends and families of a victim of a coward punch to understand just how devastating this kind of violence can be. It has to stop,” Brownless said.

Victoria Police held talks with the AFL last week about drunken fans and how the responsible service of alcohol policy could be better enforced. They will now meet ­officials at Etihad this week to discuss the latest violence.

Etihad chief executive ­Michael Green said the behaviour would not be tolerated.

“We are working with Victoria Police to identify the patrons involved and enforce complete stadium bans on those individuals,” he said.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett said breath tests at the gate were not the answer.

“People have just got to ­accept responsibility for themselves,” he said.