Ex-AFL star Ryan Bastinac slams ‘cowards’ after being ‘assaulted’ in local footy match
Former North Melbourne and Brisbane footballer Ryan Bastinac needed treatment in hospital after he was allegedly headbutted by a rival.
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Former AFL player Ryan Bastinac has called out local footy “cowards” after suffering facial injuries while playing for Pearcedale against Langwarrin in the Mornington Peninsula league on the weekend.
The 30-year-old needed treatment in hospital after he was allegedly headbutted by a rival footballer, leaving him with facial injuries.
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Bastinac shared an image of his nasty wound on Twitter, calling for an end to violent acts in the sport.
“Coward hits in local footy are not on in this day and age,” he wrote.
“The footy field isn’t free reign to go out and assault people. Put some gloves on and try yourself the right way if that’s what you want to do. But we know that never happens.
“People shouldn’t play the game they love and enjoy and have to worry they are going to get assaulted. Footy is a tough hard and fair game but we need to do more to protect all the players who are playing the game the right way.
“The ‘hard and fair way’ and stamp out these cowards because there is no place for it.”
— Ryan Bastinac (@rbastinac) June 5, 2022
According to The Herald Sun, Bastinac required six stitches following the incident, for which a free kick was paid.
“I have been copping it all year and it has always been good, tough banter and the physical side but on the weekend it just went to a new level with this situation,” he told the publication.
“This bloke tried to elbow me and missed me there and then I gave him a shove in the back and he turned around and we grabbed each other’s jumpers and had a good little tussle, which is fine.
“Then he just went the massive headbutt and they are the things that I am not going to put up with at local level. It’s just a coward act and you can’t have people getting away with stuff like that.”
Bastinac represented North Melbourne in 121 games after making his AFL debut in 2010, kicking 66 goals for the Kangaroos before he was traded to Brisbane in October 2015.
He played a further 43 games for the Lions before he was delisted at the end of the 2019 season.
On Saturday, Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith was handed a two-match suspension after headbutting Geelong utility Zach Tuohy at Marvel Stadium on Friday.
Originally published as Ex-AFL star Ryan Bastinac slams ‘cowards’ after being ‘assaulted’ in local footy match
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