from "The Messenger"
Fighting ends juniors' season Chantelle Kroehn07Aug07
West Croydon Football Club.THE West Croydon Junior Football Club has been suspended for the rest of the season from league competition and fined $2000 after a brawl with Woodville South on July 29. Woodville South's under-16 coach Jeff Espagne also has been suspended for the rest of the season and the club fined $500.
Fights involving players, parents and coaches erupted after the under-16 match at West Croydon's home ground in Hanson Rd, Woodville North, which the visitors won 13.12 (90) to 3.2 (20).
Several players and spectators were injured in the scuffles, including a Woodville South junior player who received a deep cut above his eye after allegedly being punched by a West Croydon player.
A Woodville South spectator, who did not want to be named, said he saw the fight start on the oval after the final siren, alleging three to four West Croydon players started punching a Woodville South player.``It was an ugly, out-of-control melee,'' he said.
The Metro West Junior Football League's (MWJFL) executive committee investigated the incident last week and has banned West Croydon's five junior teams from competition for the remaining four games of the season.
MWJFL chairman Arnold Kretschmer confirmed Mr Espagne also had been suspended although his club says his actions were directed ``out of concern and care for his players''.
Mr Kretschmer refused to reveal the outcome of the investigation or what triggered the fights, saying the league did not want it made public.
West Croydon was fined $2000 $1000 of which was suspended for three years. It will also be forced to pay a $500 fine suspended since 2006. The MWJFL refused to say why this fine was imposed.
West Croydon Junior Football Club president Phil Rennie refused to comment until his own club's investigation into the incident was completed.
A Woodville South parent who witnessed the fights but did not want to be named alleged six people associated with the club were punched or kicked by West Croydon players and parents after the game.
Mr Kretschmer said West Croydon could apply to the league to be reinstated for the 2008 season but the decision would ultimately rest with the 10-member clubs. ``The executive of the league and the remaining 10 member clubs will do everything we can to help the West Croydon Junior Football Club to prepare themselves fro (sic) readmission into our League in 2008,'' he said in a faxed statement.
Woodville South vice president Grant Wilson said in an emailed statement his club was disappointed with the events of July 29.
``Whilst the Woodville South Junior Football Club respects and abides by the rules and regulations of the MPJFL, it must be stated that as a club we were extremely disappointed with the suspension received by the club's under-16 coach,'' he said.
``(He) acted entirely out of concern and care for his players in attempting to stop the fighting and remove our players to safety.''
Port Adelaide Police Chief Inspector Peter Graham confirmed police were called to the oval.
``We attended there about 3pm on the 29th in response to call about a disturbance on the oval,'' he said.
``The disturbance was largely over when we arrived.''
He said the incident was being investigated but no reports had been laid by presstime.
Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:18 am
Cause that aint true.