Three suspended after all-in brawl

By Marc McGowan
THREE players have been suspended after a mass melee in Cranbourne’s Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL) clash with Berwick at Casey Fields on Saturday.
Berwick president Peter Jensen has also confirmed his club has lodged the $500 surety for the MPNFL to investigate three separate incidents arising from the spiteful contest.
Tempers flared in the third quarter of the round 17 match as almost every player on the field joined in the fracas, which continued throughout the duration of the term.
Cranbourne coach Brett McMaster and Berwick mentor Ronnie Burns both described the fisticuffs as the worst they had seen in their time in the sport.
The entrance of a spectator onto the ground who became involved in the action also added to the ugly scenes.
Cranbourne president Luke King was among the officials who removed the man and warned him not to return.
“I grabbed the spectator and ejected him straightaway and he has been told not to come back to Cranbourne games,” Mr King said.
“I want to stress the point that he is not a member of the Cranbourne Football Club.”
Another patron attempted to enter the playing arena but was restrained.
Cranbourne’s Marc Holt and Andre Young and Berwick’s Blake Hetschke and Jayden Kickett were all reported, with the former three accepting one-game sanctions.
Kickett has elected to clear his name but was unable to attend his tribunal hearing on Tuesday night.
He will be eligible to play this weekend before finding out his fate next week.
MPNFL chief executive Steve Pallas was at the match and was disappointed that the outing went in the direction it did.
“It wasn’t good to have that happen at the football, but it probably doesn’t harm the reputation of the league because it happens so rarely,” he said.
“But certainly we wouldn’t want those sorts of events happening regularly – football is not like that any more.”
Mr King downplayed the brawl and believes they are just a “part of the game”.
“It was not too bad because no-one was knocked out and it was just two sides showing a bit of emotion,” he said.
“To be honest, I’m more concerned with looking after the spectators and making sure the crowd is behaved in an appropriate manner.
“What happens on the field stays on the field.”