Sports fans across the AFL and NRL faced criticism for their unruly behavior during recent games. At the MCG, a Hawthorn fan allegedly threw nachos at a mother and her eight-year-old son, prompting Victoria Police to investigate. Ashley Klein, an NRL referee, was targeted with projectiles after a controversial call in the Warriors-Knights semi-final, while AFL umpires were hit by cans and bottles during the Hawthorn-Brisbane game. Both the AFL and NRL warned that such actions could result in bans of up to five years for perpetrators. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll emphasized the potential danger these incidents pose, highlighting past issues like the 2005 New Zealand cricket incident where players faced hostile crowd behavior.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
When the Victorian premier and the unofficial prime minister of New Zealand, Warriors great Shaun Johnson, are sticking the boot into sporting crowds over bad behaviour, it’s clear things have gone too far.
asserted
things → stick → behaviour
It was a grim weekend across the AFL and NRL as two thrilling games of football were marred by a handful ofangry spectators hurling projectiles at match officials.
asserted
games → mar → officials
Cans and bottles were thrown at umpires during Hawthorn’s defeat to Brisbane in Saturday night’s preliminary final, while referee Ashley Klein was targeted after a controversial finish to the Warriors-Knights semi-final at Eden Park.
asserted
Klein → throw → Park
Arguably the worst incident of the lot, however, was the Hawthorn fan at the MCG who allegedly threw a plate of nachos at a woman and her eight-year-old son, prompting Victoria Police to launch an investigation.
uncertain
who → throw → investigation
The AFL said the behaviour, across the board, had “crossed the line” and warned those responsible could be banned for a minimum of five years.
uncertain
those → say → years
“I was scared,” the boy told Nine News.
asserted
boy → tell → News
“I don’t understand why anyone would do that.”
asserted
anyone → understand → that
His mother, Rose, told 3AW: “It’s absolutely disgusting behaviour, and I am just sick of going out in Melbourne and being worried for my safety.”
asserted
I → tell → safety
Hawthorn fans might have felt robbed by umpire Hayden Meyer’s decision to penalise Jarman Impey for holding the ball, which gifted Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage the goal that put the Lions in front with seconds remaining
uncertain
seconds → rob → front
Similarly, Warriors supporters may have felt that Klein had dudded them by not awarding a penalty over Tyson Frizell’s escort on Leka Halasima in the dying stages of their 12-10 loss to Newcastle at Eden Park.
uncertain
Klein → feel → Park
Debate those calls, and boo if you must.
asserted
you → debate → calls
But nothing gives a fan the right to hurl a beer can or water bottle at an official simply doing their job.
asserted
nothing → give → job
“I think these people should be made an example of,” said Victorian Premier Ben Carroll.
asserted
Carroll → think → example
“This could have had catastrophic injuries.
uncertain
This → have → injuries
If one of those bottles or cans hit an umpire on the head, who knows what could’ve happened.”
uncertain
what → hit → head
Sometimes they do land.
asserted
they → land → ?
In 2005, Australia’s one-day cricketers found themselves on the receiving end of a particularly hostile New Zealand crowd in Wellington.
asserted
themselves → find → Wellington
Matthew Hayden was spat on, Simon Katich was hit by bottles near the boundary, and Glenn McGrath became furious with security staff over a perceived lack of protection.
asserted
McGrath → spit → protection
Captain Ricky Ponting eventually called a halt to play to speak with the umpires and demand a greater police presence.
asserted
Ponting → call → presence
This had come after an array of projectiles including golf balls, food scraps, a three-seater couch, a toilet seat and frozen fish had been thrown towards Australian cricketers over the years while playing in New Zealand.
asserted
array → come → Zealand
That 2005 controversy made its way to the highest office in the land.
asserted
controversy → make → land
“It’s not peculiar to New Zealand, it’s not peculiar to Australia,” said then Australian prime minister John Howard.
asserted
Howard → ’ → Australia
“When there’s bad behaviour, we shouldn’t get too self-righteous.”
asserted
we → ’ → ?
More than two decades later, issues are still arising.
asserted
issues → arise → ?
Angry fans might convince themselves the players they idolise appreciate them venting their frustration on their behalf.
uncertain
them → convince → behalf
It is cringeworthy, as Johnson made clear following the Warriors’ loss.
asserted
Johnson → make → loss
Perhaps some of the 48,511 Warriors fans who filled Eden Park could not comprehend seeing a Kiwi team lose to an Australian side, given the Wallabies haven’t beaten the All Blacks there since 1986.
uncertain
Wallabies → fill → 1986
“It leaves a bit of a sour taste in your mouth,” Johnson said on Sky Sports.
asserted
Johnson → leave → Sports
It’s just embarrassing.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It doesn’t help when the players set the tone.
asserted
players → help → tone
Seconds after the siren at the MCG, Hawthorn’s James Sicily and Tom Barrass were in the face of umpire Meyer, remonstrating over a decision almost everyone not wearing brown and gold agreed was correct.
asserted
everyone → remonstrate → brown
Moments later, bottles were raining down from the stands.
asserted
bottles → rain → stands
The events of the weekend hardly compare with some of the ugliest scenes seen overseas – including the Celtic-Rangers soccer game in Scotland on Sunday, where a bus carrying fans caught fire amid suspected vandalism – but that is hardly the point.
asserted
that → compare → vandalism
The AFL and NRL, with the backing of police, need to come down hard on spectators who cross that line.
asserted
who → need → line
The AFL issued one such suspension earlier this year, to a Swans fan who threw a drink bottle at Hawthorn player Nick Watson at the MCG in March.
asserted
who → issue → March
Just pure disbelief that their side had managed a solitary point in the last quarter, as the Dockers came from 21 points down at three-quarter time to win by 12.
asserted
Dockers → manage → 12
Fans are entitled to get angry, and they are entitled to think an umpire or referee got it horribly wrong.
asserted
it → entitle → ?
Feeling angry is where it should end.
asserted
it → feel → ?
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Friday.
asserted
News → send → sport
The Aporia
