Man hospitalised after ‘completely unprovoked’ didgeridoo attack at Richmond v Essendon Dreamtime AFL match

An emotional grandad has recounted a harrowing alleged didgeridoo attack as the fallout from a rowdy AFL game continues.

An emotional grandfather has recounted his grandson’s “completely unprovoked” alleged attack following Saturday night’s rowdy behaviour at the Richmond v Essendon Dreamtime AFL game.

In footage captured of the harrowing incident by an onlooker, a man is knocked to the ground after being hit in the head with a didgeridoo.

That man is 25-year-old Daniel, with his grandfather Robert saying the unprovoked attack happened while he was walking on the footpath between the MCG and Birrarung Marr.

A 25-year-old man suffered fractures to his skull and a broken nose after allegedly being attacked with a didgeridoo. Picture: 7News

“Out of the blue, unprovoked he was attacked by about six or seven teenagers with didgeridoos and Daniel was the one who copped the full brunt,” Robert told 3AW on Monday.

“They bashed him over the head, to the ground and then when they’d finished, because people were screaming and they ran off, one of them spat on him.”

While Daniel’s injuries are non-life threatening, Robert said his grandson was “in a bad way”.

“He’s in hospital now, he’s got two fractures to the skull. He’s got a broken nose, at 10.30 last night they put stitches in his forehead,” he said.

“Sometime today they’ve got to do surgery on his nose, it’s that badly broken.

“His left eye was completely closed. Yesterday it was the size of a golf ball and black.”

Police are investigating the incident.

It comes after rowdy crowd behaviour at the MCG on Saturday night led to the expulsion of 50 people, with a police officer allegedly bitten while trying to eject a drunk AFL fan.

The officer was allegedly bitten by a 21-year-old man who became aggressive while he was being led out of the ground after being found drunk at the food stall.

Police also sprayed a 36-year-old man with capsicum spray and arrested him after he allegedly punched a police officer who approached him about urinating outside the hallowed sports ground.

A war cry during the AFL Round 10 Dreamtime match on May 21, 2022. Picture: Michael Klein

In addition, a 19-year-old woman is expected to be charged in relation to an alleged assault near the entry gates before the Dreamtime game even began.

However, the trouble wasn’t limited to the stands. Two men were ejected from the game and charged $363 each for running on the playing field at quarter time.

Victoria Police blamed “pre-loading” fans attending the game drunk for the “disappointing” unruly behaviour of the crowd.

Inspector Jamie Templeton said the disruptive behaviour ruined the night for the vast majority of fans who were well behaved.

An unhappy Essendon fan after the Dreamtime match. Picture: Michael Klein

“(It) was disappointing to see so many spectators engage in disruptive behaviour last night,” he said.

“We did see what appeared to be higher levels of alcohol consumption and aggression. It was noticeable that ‘pre-loading’ of alcohol prior to the game was significant in contributing to more incidents of poor crowd behaviour than usual.”

Inspector Templeton said police would be investigating alcohol consumption at the MCG and could possibly limit the supply of alcohol at the venue.

Police say the raucous behaviour continued after the game, with an alleged assault outside the venue at 10.40pm in which three men were injured.