A teenager is in hospital after a brawl involving about 30 players at a junior football match in Melbourne’s north-west on Saturday.
The fight broke out during an under-18s game between Burnside Heights Bears and Hadfield Hawks at the Bears’ home ground.
A Bears player
was taken to Footscray Hospital with a suspected fractured jaw. A Hawks player later attended hospital with a broken nose, club president Mark Stefanac said.
Stefanac said he was awaiting more information before commenting on the brawl but said “both parties have contributed to this situation”.
Bears’ president Justin Peagram said police had been called to ease tensions.
“A melee broke out with another under-18s team and we’ve got kids aged 16, 17 and 18 all playing footy and, unfortunately in that age group, their testosterone levels are high, so sometimes there can be a bit of push and shove.
“Unfortunately, with today’s game, it then started to get a little bit physical and somewhere along the line, unfortunately, one of our players has copped a knock to the face and obviously been badly injured.
“I believe the umpires have written a report and I don’t believe a player’s been reported as yet,” Peagram said.
Essendon District Football League and police are investigating.
… Goya Dmytryshchak/The Age
