By Emily Woods, The Age
An umpire was forced to “run for his life” as angry fans and parents at an under-15s football grand final threw punches and chased him off the ground, in Melbourne’s west on Sunday.
A wild brawl broke out on the ground at Hoppers Crossing Reserve, after the umpire gave two consecutive 50-metre penalties to Point Cook, in the last 30 seconds of their grand final against Albion.
The aftermath of the brawl was broadcast live on Facebook, with adults scuffling and hurling abuse.
Police are investigating the matter as an “affray”, a police spokesman said.
The match was tight, with Albion ahead by a few points, but the penalties led to Point Cook kicking a goal and winning the premiership.
John Dodd, who was at the reserve to watch his grandson play in the under-13s grand final on the neighbouring oval, ran over to watch the end of the under-15s match because it was such a close game.
Mr Dodd said he saw an umpire give two 50-metre penalties against Albion, one for overstepping the mark and then another after an Albion player “mouthed off” at the umpire.
“That put him [the Point Cook player] right in the goal square. The siren went and he kicked a goal, they were a few points down and Point Cook won,” Mr Dodd said.
“There were supporters and parents throwing punches at him. He was running away, dodging punches, and if he had fallen over I don’t know what would have happened.
“He was running for his life at a junior football match, which is ridiculous.”
Mr Dodd, a football umpire himself, said the 50-metre penalties were “legitimate” and the incident “should never have happened”.
“He paid what he saw. It was a disgrace. Without umpires you wouldn’t have a game,” he said.
Another spectator, Steven, said that after the post-match brawl, the players went back to their change rooms where Point Cook were awarded their grand final medals.
“They were effectively locked in… and Point Cook had to celebrate the win in their change room,” he said.
“Usually it’s a celebration on the grounds for the year they had. The crowd surrounded the change rooms and got quite aggressive.”
Steven said the Western Region Football League needed to better protect umpires, and should sanction clubs with violent supporters.
“My view is the WRFL just doesn’t protect the umpire and if you don’t have an umpire, you don’t have a league,” he said.
A mass brawl also broke out at an WRFL seniors grand final last year, between Newport Power and Parkside.
Paramedics were called to the ground, on Hogans Road, to treat a man aged in his 30s, believed to be the umpire, about 4.30pm on Sunday.
He had minor injuries to his upper body but was not taken to hospital, an ambulance spokesman said.
The aftermath of the brawl was broadcast live on Facebook, with adults scuffling and hurling abuse.
As spectators wait for the players and umpires to leave the change rooms, a man can be heard in the 20-minute video, which was obtained by 3AW Breakfast radio, saying, “It’ll erupt again, when they start coming out.”
“What’s happened is, mate, there’s been two free kicks been called,” the man says.
“The umpire called another 50 that won Point Cook the game, and then all the Albion supporters got stuck into this umpire.
“Would have copped maybe five or six punches to the face, bolted off the ground, it was pretty funny to see that. And then the coppers have rocked up and there have been more fights since.”
Ivo Havard, Point Cook Football Club’s president, said it was disgraceful to see such aggressive behaviour directed at umpires.
“The sport, and the league, and the Albion footy club, are tarnished from the behaviour of maybe six people who reacted so badly to a loss,” Mr Havard said.
“These umpires come to work and do their job for the day, and they leave the ground after basically being bashed, it’s not good at all.
“It was a crazy situation that escalated, and it got to a point where adults are behaving badly at an under-15s game of sport.”
When asked whether there should be security guards at junior football grand finals, Mr Havard said: “No way, it’s an under-15s game of support, we shouldn’t have to go down that path.”
Albion Football Club administrator Chantelle Hyett said the club had no comment at this stage.
“We’re still trying to piece together what happened for ourselves,” she said.
The league said in a statement on Monday: “The Western Regional Football League is investigating an incident that followed the under-15 division two grand final between Albion and Point Cook at Hogans Road Reserve on Sunday afternoon.”
“The league has no further comment to make at this time,” it said.
This year has been rife with spectator violence, particularly at junior football matches.
In one weekend in June, there were at least three instances of spectators behaving badly at junior football games.
Former North Melbourne player Glenn Archer was charged after one of the incidents, following reports a runner was assaulted by a spectator, but Archer has denied he assaulted anyone.
