Fan fined after bottles thrown at umpires in Brisbane-Hawthorn prelim
One footy fan has been fined for throwing a bottle at umpires during Saturday's AFL preliminary final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Victoria Police say 10 people were ejected from the MCG that night for poor behaviour. Five have since been issued fines, including one person fined for throwing a bottle, according to ABC News.
Brisbane beat Hawthorn by nine points to book a Grand Final spot. A preliminary final is a semi-final. The winner goes straight through to the season decider.
The late flashpoint came when Brisbane received a holding-the-ball free kick — paid when a tackled player fails to get rid of the ball legally — against Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey. Hugh McCluggage then put Brisbane in front with less than 30 seconds left.
As the umpires left the field after the siren, bottles and cans were thrown at them and they took cover. The bottles followed several big umpiring calls in the closing stages of Brisbane's win, with Fox Sports reporting those involved were Hawthorn supporters.
Police are now examining CCTV footage from various angles to identify others involved. The AFL said anyone found to have thrown bottles would be banned from all games for a minimum of five years.
The Melbourne Cricket Club is seeking to ban those involved from all events at the MCG. MCC chief executive Stuart Fox said he wanted the bans for those who threw bottles at umpires to be for life.
In a separate incident on Saturday night, food was thrown at a mother and her son in the stands.
There was also fallout on the field. Hawthorn pair James Sicily and Tom Barrass were fined for umpire abuse, while Brisbane star Lachie Neale was banned, as reported in the match review by AFL.com.au.
Security will be heavier for the decider. Extra police and Public Order Response Team members patrolling with long-arm rifles will be present at the MCG for Saturday's Grand Final between Brisbane and Fremantle.
For fans heading to the game, this means expect a visible police presence. The Grand Final is the biggest crowd of the year. The league and the ground want no repeat.
