Geelong Advertiser |
GEELONG and District Football League officials will meet this week to decide whether an eight-week suspension imposed on a Geelong West spectator who jumped the fence and pushed a Belmont Lions player is enough.
GDFL secretary Alan Moore said the eight-man executive would investigate the club-imposed ban with a view to further sanctions.
But Moore said it was unlikely the league would lengthen the penalty.
“I don’t think so, but that’s only my opinion,” Moore said.
“I think eight weeks is enough.”
Geelong West president Simon Cavallo said the spectator, a reserves footballer for the Cheetahs, was dealt with harshly.
“The club decided his actions was an initial push and we punished him on what we thought was fair,” Cavallo said.
“We didn’t think that he should take full responsibility for what ensued and the league is looking into what happened after that. He can’t be held accountable for anyone elses action.”
Up to 10 players were involved in a fracas after the siren of the clash between Belmont Lions and West on April 12.
The league will investigate the brawl, which Cavallo described as disappointing.
“We don’t expect any violence from our club people and he’s got eight weeks to think about it,” he said.
“It’s not in his nature but he’ll learn from it. But I want to make a point that we haven’t hung him out to dry. He’s a member of our club and we’ll stand by him.
“We’ll be educating all our members, not just him, on violence.”
