AFL fans could be banned after sickening MCG brawl

A shocking brawl at the MCG could see charges laid, as Victoria Police review footage of the melee inside the stadium last night. Witnesses said tensions flared between two groups of spectators who traded verbal barbs before “it just exploded”. WATCH THE VIDEOS

Police are reviewing footage of last night’s brawl at the MCG, saying those involved could face charges as the investigation continues.

A disagreement over a free kick is believed to have been the initial spark that ended in a violent brawl in the stadium’s stands.

In a violent incident which marred the season-opening match between Carlton and Richmond, up to six men traded blows in the AFL members’ section as shocked onlookers watched on.

A witness has described seeing two groups having a heated verbal exchange after Richmond forward Tom Lynch was given a free kick for high contact about nine minutes into the last quarter.

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John Rivett was sitting directly behind where the fight happened and said tensions began to flare up when the groups — sitting about three rows apart — argued over the free kick decision.

He said the main aggressor was a teenager wearing a Richmond jersey who stood up to hurl abuse and had to be held back by his two friends.

Two men face off at the MCG before the ugly brawl erupts.

Horrified witnesses looked on as they traded blows.

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He said the teen left of his own accord and walked off and wasn’t sighted for the rest of the fourth quarter, before running back straight after the siren to reignite the feud.

The two groups shaped up to each other in the aisles “and then it just exploded”, Mr Rivett said.

“It escalated. He (the teen in the Richmond jersey) was certainly the aggressor. His two mates were initially very calm and they were trying to defuse the situation when the first argument happened,” he said.

Mr Rivett said whoever was an AFL member out of the main aggressor or his two friends should be stripped of their membership.

It wasn’t the only brawl last night, with police forced to use capsicum spray to break up a fight outside the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne about 11.30pm.

Two groups of eight people clashed inside the venue, but kept fighting outside after they were told to leave.

Public Order Response Team and uniform police had to use the spray to break up the fight, with both parties leaving shortly afterwards.

The violence unfolded in the Great Southern Stand.

Shocked families and footy fans witnessed the brawl.

Footage of the clash showed a group of people facing up to each other in an aisle before they grabbed at each other’s shirts and punched each other multiple times.

At one point in the brawl, a man in a Richmond jumper is seen punching a man with such force that he flattens him on his back.

He then delivers further blows as the man lies on the ground between seats.

The violence unfolded in the Great Southern Stand as the Richmond theme song was still playing over the ground’s speakers.

Vision shows spectators trying to break up the fight as others are seen walking past the violence, and one man can be heard calling out for security.

Mr Rivett described the fight as “severe” and unlike anything he had ever seen at an AFL game.

“It was pretty scary, to be honest. There were families around. You can imagine for them being so close to that it would have been terrifying,” he said.

He said when the fight ended the groups then dispersed and the teen tried to hide.

“The Richmond jumper guy and his two mates ran up the stairs, they pushed past us and the cops were just behind them and a bunch of security were coming in from the other way,” he said.

He said the teen took off his Richmond jersey and was walking around in a T-shirt.

“He was stupid enough to think taking off the jumper would make him unrecognisable,” Mr Rivett said.

He said police caught up to the teen after multiple people in the crowd pointed him out.

A witness told 3AW her 15-year-old daughter, who sat three rows behind the brawl with her grandparents and cousins, was traumatised by what she witnessed.

“She is traumatised,” the caller told AFL boss Gillon McLachlan on air. “She just came home and she said, ‘I just, I was so scared’. This is not good enough.”

Police said a 19-year-old man from Eltham was arrested after the incident and given an infringement notice in regards to riotous behaviour. He was also fined $322.

People look on as one man is thrown to the ground and bashed.

One man lies on the ground after copping several blows to the head and upper body.

MCC BACKS SECURITY RESPONSE

The MCC has defended MCG security guards after they were criticised for their response time.

This morning, AFL boss said Gillon McLachlan said he was seeking answers on why it took security an extended period of time to break up the fight.

The MCC issued a statement this morning, saying security was on the scene within a minute of being notified, before the man was taken outside and arrested by police.

“On first viewing of the footage you might suggest that we were a little slow to get there but I can assure you that within another 20 to 30 seconds, MCC security and Victoria Police were on the scene and apprehending the man between gate six and gate seven,” venue and event services general manager Gerard Griffin said.

Witness John Rivett said security had to grapple with large crowds to get through to break the brawl up.

“It was interesting; no security came from the terrace, they all came from the ground so it was quite difficult for them to get to the fight because the aisles were so full of people. They were restricted.”

Dur to last night’s large crowd, the degree of security deployed last night was similar to Grand Final levels, Mr Griffin said.

As a result, there would be no increase to security staff tonight, or other matches this round.

“We’ll stick with the numbers. They will largely be deployed in very similar fashions to last night,” Mr Griffin said.

He urged fans not to be deterred by last night’s brawl, saying incidents of these types were “largely rare”.

“We don’t like to see that at the ground,” he said. “I just plead to people who are coming to watch sport to bring their best behaviour no matter what’s going on with the game, what’s happening with their team.”

THUGS FACE BANS AFTER SICKENING BRAWL

The brawlers involved in an ugly melee where punches were thrown at the MCG last night could be banned from the footy, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said.

McLachlan flagged possible bans for the fans involved in the incident.

“Every person that comes to our game needs to feel safe. That behaviour is clearly unacceptable and there needs to be an accountability for the individual or individuals involved for their behaviour,” he said.

“We have the power to issue banning notices and, clearly, I don’t want to run ahead of it, but from what I have seen it would be hard to see how we would want that person that I saw in a Richmond jumper — and maybe there are others — coming to the football for a period of time.”

AFL spokesman Jay Allen said the AFL’s integrity unit was working with Richmond and Carlton to identify the patrons and a decision on banning notices would be made following the unit’s investigation.

“Once identified, we have provisions to ban the patrons from AFL matches who acted inappropriately,” Mr Allen said.

“Eighty-five thousand fans attended the match last night and the overwhelming majority of people behaved responsibly and enjoyed the game, we will not let the actions of a few take away from this.”

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan. Picture: Toby Zerna

The MCC also issued a statement, saying a decision on banning those involved from the MCG would be made in consultation with the AFL and Richmond Football Club.

Venue and event services general manager Gerard Griffin said the MCC would back any move by the league to review memberships of those involved.

“We’re happy to fall into line behind the AFL. We support anything the AFL do when it comes to banning notices.”

Mr Griffin warned would-be troublemakers that anti-social behaviour would not be tolerated at the sporting venue.

“The safety and security of patrons is paramount for the MCC and the actions of this individual were totally unacceptable … and will not be tolerated at the MCG,” he said.

“We want all patrons to feel safe coming to a game of footy. Our security team will work closely with Victoria Police to quickly apprehend anyone who engages in anti-social behaviour and they will be appropriately dealt with.”

Earlier, McLachlan was asked this morning if wanted to see the man charged. “From the images I saw, it would seem odd that he’s not,” the AFL boss said.

Richmond has declined to comment on the situation until the police investigation is complete.

The shocking incident marred Thursday night’s AFL season-opener. Picture: Dylan Burns

AFL FANS’ HISTORY OF BLOODY CLASHES

The latest incident comes after multiple incidents involving AFL fans were captured on video last year.

In September 2018, Dominic and Sam Walker, sons of Tim Walker QC, were among three men charged after an alleged brutal assault on two footy patrons in East Melbourne. Their mate Benjamin Fitt was also charged.

In Adelaide last August, Essendon and Port Adelaide supporters brawled in the stands at Adelaide Oval, witnessed by children and families.

Geelong and Melbourne fans also clashed in a horrific melee at Kardinia Park last July, with one fan seen attempting to stomp on another.

It was the second violent incident at the Geelong stadium last year, with children left screaming and crying after witnessing a man being glassed in the face on May 26.

On the same night, a car was swamped by unruly fans, who punched and kicked the vehicle after the May 26 game.

In a bloody weekend for AFL venues, with a man involved in a bloody brawl at Etihad Stadium’s Medallion Club the previous night.

Three people were injured after the violence broke out among at least nine patrons after Collingwood defeated the Western Bulldogs.

The man was hit with a life ban — the first person ever banned from the venue after violence broke out at a Collingwood-Western Bulldogs game.

The man was also stripped of his AFL membership, and unable to apply for AFL or any club membership indefinitely.

Multiple men were charged after the shocking incident.

And earlier that month, St Kilda and Collingwood fans faced off at the EJ Whitten Bar in Etihad Stadium, with supporters wrestling over broken glass and being slammed into walls.

The fight is believed to have been started over comments about the 2010 Grand Final, in which Collingwood beat St Kilda.

Anybody convicted of a criminal offence relating to violence at an AFL game could also be subject to an order banning them from entering any licenced premises for two years.

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