By DAVID NAGEL
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE REVIEW – ROUND 11
NO, not this weekend!
There is no place for an after-the-siren brawl, especially the one that took place between Narre Warren and Cranbourne players and spectators at Fox Road on Saturday.
The timing of this brawl, just 36 hours after the football world learned of the devastating loss of Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh, well it just leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
While the rest of the football world was, quite literally, united as one, locking arms in a show of unprecedented unity, two clubs decided to turn back the clock and hang a dark cloud over the game.
And about the only thing that insiders and outsiders from both clubs could agree on after Saturday’s clash was, “We’re no angels,” but that’s where the acceptance stopped and the finger-pointing began.
It’s a not a good look for the newly-formed South East Football Netball League (SEFNL) and the AFL South East Commission, whose tribunal is likely to hand out some harsh penalties once recommendations are received in the coming weeks.
AFL South East Commission Region General Manager Jeremy Bourke said it was one thing to be involved in such an ugly incident, but to try and defend those actions was another thing altogether.
“It is totally unacceptable to try and defend the actions which took place in front of women and children,” he said.
“It’s fair to say that there are some key stakeholders that are less than impressed with what took place on the weekend.”
The wash-up of the controversial finish to what was already a brutal game of Australian Rules football is this.
SEFNL operations manager Liz Triffitt has called in an independent investigator, who will make recommendations to the league, which will then decide whether to proceed, and hand the matter over to AFL South East, who conduct tribunal hearings.
Under AFL Rules, the independent investigator has up to 21 days to make the final recommendations.
But first, the tribunal has a date on Wednesday night; a separate matter from the investigation, where Cranbourne full-forward Marc Holt will challenge his two-game suspension for a charge of striking Narre Warren’s George Angelopoulos during the final quarter.
And the final matter, of which we’re sure, is that Cranbourne Football Club president Shane Baker has emailed a letter to SEFNL, expressing the club’s disappointment at an alleged incident that took place between Narre Warren coach Chris Toner and Cranbourne players Mathew Fletcher and Martin Leinmueller.
Baker confirmed the club had sent a letter to the league, but refused to elaborate further on the matter.
“There are elements with what happened after the game that we were disappointed with and the matter is now in the league’s hands and they’ll deal with it how they see fit,” he said.
Toner denied he was involved in an incident with the Cranbourne players.
“It’s in the hands of the league, so I can’t say too much, but these players are like sons to me,” he said.
“I won’t apologise for sticking up for my players, that’s who I am, and that will never change.
“If I’m guilty of pushing my way in to protect my players, then throw the book at me.”
Cranbourne yesterday released a statement on its Facebook page over the brawl.
“All I can say is that I am extremely proud of our guys, not just for their wins on the field but their conduct and the way they stood by each other in their time of need off it,’’ the statement read.
“We all know what happened and the truth will no doubt come out in the wash.
“I have full faith that the SEFNL will be thorough in its findings and justice will be served.
“Please also be wise with social media commentary as we don’t need to stoop to a level others may wish to engage in.
“Let’s be better than that.
“Again, to the Cranbourne people who stick by and support our boys and girls, thank you and get excited because we have some great times ahead.
“Incidents like the one on Saturday will break some clubs; not ours though.
“This will make us even bigger and stronger… go Eagles.”
