Suspended Brigades colts coach Jayden Schofield breaks silence after end of brawl investigation

Brigades player, coach and AFL alumnus Jayden Schofield has broken his silence after the end of an investigation into a massive on-field brawl at a colts game in July which saw him cop a heavy penalty.

The ugly brawl saw more than 30 weeks’ worth of suspensions handed out as 13 players — eight from Mullewa and five from Brigades — received suspensions ranging from one match to four matches.

Schofield, the coach of the Hawks’ colts side, was initially slapped a 10-week suspension for striking and his involvement in the melee by the GNFL tribunal, but it was later reduced to six weeks after an appeal.

In the ruling, seen by the Geraldton Guardian, the WA Football Commission decided that “the original charge of intentional striking could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt”.

“Whilst the appeal panel acknowledged your concern for the welfare of your players, it still considers your decision to enter the melee inappropriate for a coach,” it said.

The ban saw Schofield miss the Hawks grand final loss to Rovers, but the former Western Bulldogs player will be free to play come round one next season.

Schofield said he was looking forward to returning to the footy field.

“It was really disappointing that it had prematurely been published that I had been done for 10 weeks for striking by the GNFL without the appeal process being completed, but I’m glad the truth is now finally out there and I can move on,” he said.

“In this day and age, men’s mental health is a serious issue and for people to jump to wrongful conclusions without knowing the full truth is just plain sad.

“The amount of support I have had from my family, the public, the other GNFL clubs and my footy club has been nothing short of amazing and I look forward to the 2023 season and being able to coach again in the near future.”

Maurice Brand, a father of one of the Brigades players, also had a successful appeal reducing his ban from GNFL matches from 18 to 12 months backdated to July.

Club president Craig Harrington had argued both Schofield and Brand were “trying to defuse a fight that had started when a Brigades colts player was getting his head stomped on on the ground”.

The GNFL was contacted for a response but did not wish to provide any further comment.