I know few people understand Aussie Rules, but everyone understands a good brawl. This has been the outcome of an investigation from one match on the weekend. Read this, bearing in mind there are 36 players on the ground at any one time - two thirds of all players on the ground were involved. Anything like this ever happen in soccer? Or Ice Hockey?

22 Hawks, Dons to face tribunal (source www.afl.com.au)
7:48:45 PM Tue 8 June, 2004
Jordan Chong
Sportal
The league's investigations officer Rick Lewis has laid down a further 22 charges from last week's brawl between Hawthorn and Essendon.

Richie Vandenberg will front the Tribunal on two charges - of striking Adam McPhee and making unnecessary and unreasonable contact with his leg to the Bomber player.

Lance Picioane has also been hit with a striking charge, also against McPhee.



Simon Beaumont, who was reported striking Bomber Justin Murphy on Monday, had a further charge of misconduct added from the same incident between the two players.

Murphy was also already on report for head butting Beaumont, but no other Essendon players will face charges other than melee charges.

In addition to those four charges, eighteen players - nine from both Hawthorn and Essendon - have been reported for melee involvement.

Others already on report before the investigation was completed were Hawthorn's Campbell Brown (striking and wrestling) and John Barker (striking).

Lewis completed his investigation on Tuesday evening.

The Tribunal will hear the charges on Wednesday night.

The AFL reports list reads as follows:

Richard Vandenberg, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for striking Adam McPhee, Essendon, during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Richard Vandenberg, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for misconduct in that he made unnecessary and unreasonable contact with his leg to Adam McPhee, Essendon, during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Lance Picioane, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for striking Adam McPhee, Essendon, during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Simon Beaumont, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for misconduct in that on two occasions he thrust his head towards the face of Justin Murphy, Essendon, during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

John Barker, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Peter Everitt, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Lance Picioane, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Richard Vandenberg, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Nick Holland, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Chance Bateman, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Simon Beaumont, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Mark Williams, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Campbell Brown, Hawthorn, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Hawthorn and Essendon, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Damien Peverill, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Dean Solomon, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Mark Johnson, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Adam McPhee, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Jason Johnson, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Andrew Welsh, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Dean Rioli, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Justin Murphy, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

Mark McVeigh, Essendon, reported by AFL Investigations Officer Rick Lewis, for engaging in a melee during the third quarter of the Round 11 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Saturday June 5, 2004.

I know few people understand Aussie Rules, but everyone understands a good brawl. This has been the outcome of an investigation from one match on the weekend. Read this, bearing in mind there are 36 players on the ground at any one time - two thirds of all players on the ground were involved. Anything like this ever happen in soccer? Or Ice Hockey?


Wowzers! What a crazy bunch...

There was a game like that between the Senators (Ottawa) and the Flyers (Philadelphia) in the NHL ("Ice" hockey) this year that drew something like 415 penalty minutes... in the last two minutes, every time the play resumed, another brawl would start... the teams were down 7 players aside... exciting and disgusting at the same time....

http://www.nhl.com/onthefly/scoreboard/htmlreports/GS021001.HTM

and some of the old timers around here might remember le "Vendredi Saint" between les Canadiens (Montréal) and Les Nordiques (Québec)... everyone on the ice, pounding one another...

exciting and disgusting at the same time....


That's a fair list of penalties! I knew hockey wouldn't dissapoint ;)

We've more or less had the same reaction to the match I posted above. Out of the charges listed, I think there are something like 6-8 suspendable offences there... the rest will just be fined heavily. Our game has had nothing like it in around 10 years. The league coffers will do fairly well out of it I think ;)

Man United v Arse nal a couple of years ago ended with a general melee. More handbags than a genuine punchup though.

In South America, you might see this in football stadiums.

Well, the tribunal has handed down their verdict. 2 players with 4 week bans, 1 with a six week ban, 2 with 1 week bans and AU$69,500 in fines handed out! All in all, a busy night for the AFL.

reminds me of a few state of origin fights :)