Northern Bullants VFL coach Rohan Welsh stood down after alleged verbal clash with board member

VFL battler Northern Bullants has stood down its coach Rohan Welsh after an alleged verbal clash with a board member.

Rohan Welsh addressing his Northern Bullants players last year.

Struggling VFL club Northern Bullants has hit more turbulence, with senior coach Rohan Welsh stood down over an alleged verbal clash with a board member.

Welsh will be the subject of an investigation into an alleged incident with vice-president Vas Nikolovski in the carpark at the Northern Football League game between Heidelberg and Banyule last Friday.

Nikolovski reported the matter to the board.

Welsh is strenuously denying any wrongdoing and has told the club he is taking the allegations seriously and is happy to participate in any investigation.

It’s unclear if the investigation will be finished in time for the former Carlton forward to coach the Bullants in Saturday’s game against Port Melbourne at Cramer St.

He was absent from training on Monday night when Ants president Whitlam Malkoun and new general manager Peter German told the players of the investigation.

The AFL is aware of the situation.

Rohan Welsh.

A few weeks ago the club called in board members for an update on its financial position after it emerged Welsh had not been paid for last season and was weighing up his future. He was also disenchanted with the club’s handling of the potential recruitment of former AFL player Tarryn Thomas.

German and Malkoum were both contacted this afternoon.

Welsh declined to comment.

Welsh suffered a severe foot infection before Round 1 and was unable to coach the team. Senior assistant Rocky Iannello filled in.

The Ants have made a rugged start to the season, losing to Footscray by 126 points in Round 1, by 30 points to Geelong in Round 2, by 125 points to Gold Coast in Round 3 and by 44 points to Frankston in Round 5.

But the Bullants have received some good news, with the club to receive a $700,000 grant should the Labor Federal Government be re-elected.

The money will allow for an upgrade of the lighting at the Cramer St ground.

The club has been in talks with local MPs Ged Kearney and Nathan Lambert about the funding.

Malkoun likened the lighting at the ground to a “torch in the backyard’’.

Originally published as Northern Bullants VFL coach Rohan Welsh stood down after alleged verbal clash with board member