Probe urged on fights

By Mark Gullick and
BERWICK coach Dean Rice has called on the Casey Cardinia Football League to “maybe do an investigation” after players from his club were involved in fights for the second successive week on Saturday.
Most players from Berwick and Doveton were involved in wrestling and punching just on half-time of the clash at Edwin Flack Reserve, which followed scuffles and “spot fires”.
Rice, a former Carlton and St Kilda star who played in last night’s E. J. Whitten Legends (prostate cancer fundraiser) match at Etihad Stadium, said umpires were concerned for their own safety. “I was a bit miffed why the umpires weren’t in there trying to do something (on Saturday) – they were just standing off and taking notes,” Rice said. “I thought it was getting out of control. I had a chat to the umpires and they were concerned about their safety if any spectators got involved. I think it’s something the league may have to look at … and maybe do an investigation.”
Doveton coach Mark Ladgrove said tempers “were up”. “Our captain had gone down about five minutes before (the fight), so I’d say tempers were up,” Ladgrove said.
Berwick hung on to win the match by three points – after Doveton had hit the front.
Last week, players from Berwick and Rythdale Officer Cardinia clashed in front of the changerooms just before half-time. The fighting spilled into the crowd and former Berwick captain Andrew Tuck was spat at.
Spectators became involved in a heated verbal clash, which was described as having the potential to “get out of hand”.
Berwick Football Club president Cliff Donegan said the crowd reaction could have been sparked by the on-field fight “lasting too long”. “To the credit of the spectator (who spat), he came into the rooms at half-time, apologised and is genuinely remorseful. He has been a coach and a runner and said he had a brain snap.”