DTH What is happening in LATTE LAND?
Moving from the caffine to the beers?
Brighton Bombers footballer and water boy banned one week by Adelaide Footy League for beer incident
All they wanted was a stubbie. But Adelaide Footy League has cut off a player and drinks runner who cracked open a cold one on the field, barring them from this weekend’s game.
Patrick Keam, The Messenger
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August 22, 2019 10:54am
This thirst-quenching ale has landed a Brighton player and drinks runner in hot water with the Adelaide Footy League. Picture: Supplied.
This thirst-quenching ale has landed a Brighton player and drinks runner in hot water with the Adelaide Footy League. Picture: Supplied.
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Brighton reserves footballer William Cheesman-Dutton and water boy Tim Pearman learnt that lesson the hard way after cracking open a cold one and having a tipple during their match last Saturday.
The cheeky act may seem like a laugh but the Adelaide Footy League did not see the funny side.
The case of illegal hydration led to the pair copping a one-week suspension from the league following the division one reserves match at Brighton Oval.
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Images of water runner Pearman, who is also a C grade player at the Bombers, and the B grade player Cheesman-Dutton consuming the beer from a glass bottle were brought to the attention of the league.
They have each been stood down for bringing the league into disrepute while the club was also fined an undisclosed amount.
It’s hard to blame the boys for wanting a beer after a big day out on the ground but at least waiting until the final siren sounded would have been wise.
Critics might also excuse the water runner for simply performing his role to hydrate the player.
Under competition regulations, “alcohol or any drinks in glass are not permitted to be taken onto the playing field at any time” during a match. The widely respected rule is most commonly applicable to spectators at quarter-time breaks — but this week’s penalties prove players with a hard-earned thirst are not exempt.
Brighton’s B and C grade teams will also be unable to use water runners for this Saturday’s matches, outside of trainers for medical assistance.
It may have been a laugh but the Adelaide Footy League was not amused by these photos. Picture: Supplied.
It may have been a laugh but the Adelaide Footy League was not amused by these photos. Picture: Supplied.
Players will need to go to the bench to get a drink of water.
Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernahan said the incident was “a bad look”.
“The club has been fined though they are as equally embarrassed at the players’ behaviour as the league is annoyed,” Kernahan said.
“If their players need a drink (water) they can go to the bench to get it — in short if they want to behave like children, we’ll treat them like children.”
“We try to find a balance between understanding our volunteers a trying have fun and may be stretched but when it reflects on the league and its standards we generally take a little more interest.”
Brighton president Kane Laundy did not respond to calls from The Messenger.