Brigades and Mullewa brawl: WAFC, GNFL tight-lipped about Geraldton colts footy fight after 19 umpire reports

Nineteen umpire reports were made from a GNFL colts game, which descended into chaos when players, supporters and spectators became involved in a mass on-field brawl. Police were not alerted to the scrap which ignited between Brigades and Mullewa colts’ sides at GBSC Park on Saturday. However acting officer in charge Sen. Sgt Adrian Geary said they were requested to patrol the area after the incident “due to concerns about heightened tensions between players and supporters”. “Patrols were conducted by police and there were no further incidents,” he said. So many red cards were handed out that there were not enough players to continue and the game had to be abandoned, with Brigades just four points in front. The GNFL has referred the ugly incident to the WA Football Commission and WA Country Football League for investigation, and Sen. Sgt Geary said criminal complaints were a real possibility out of that process. “There were 19 umpire reports relating to the incident. At this time no incidents of assault have been reported to police but it is likely the commission will encourage formal criminal complaints to be made to police,” Sen. Sgt Geary said. The GNFL and WAFC are remaining tight-lipped about the third-quarter incident. It is not clear yet what sparked the brawl, which ended with a large mob of people fighting in the middle of the ground. The number of players on report has not been revealed, although it’s understood at least six Mullewa players have been reported, with some set to challenge that. Questions about when penalties will be determined, when a tribunal hearing will be held, whether outcomes will be reached before this weekend’s games and what will happen to the four-points from the cancelled game have not been answered. In a brief statement on Monday, the GNFL said: “We are working through the incidents that occurred over the weekend and the GNFL have no comment until investigations are complete.” On Tuesday, the WAFC also released a brief statement about the incident. “We are currently gathering all the information available in preparation for an investigation as such, no further comment will be made until all information has been gathered,” it said. A person who witnessed the brawl told the Guardian that the GNFL had instructed presidents and officials not to release any information until further investigations were completed. The GNFL umpires association was contacted for comment but stated the matter was for the GNFL and would not make a statement. Brigades and Mullewa officials also declined to comment. Mullewa president Mick Wall was in the change rooms gearing up for the reserves clash when he was informed of the incident. “The players came in at three-quarter time and told me the game was called off as they wouldn’t stop fighting,” he said. It is the fourth time red cards have been dished out this GNFL season, with two other cases also involving the Brigades and Mullewa colts sides and one red card given to Chapman Valley women’s team.