Norf- Hands down the most feral bunch of thugs in the AFL

[hungry for a premiership]

Last week at the game vs. North Melbourne, I saw the most shocking and horrible act of crowd violence I've ever witnessed in 22 years of going to the football.

I was going to post about this after the game, but I decided to let it go and forget about it but it's still bothering me so I thought I'd get it off my chest.

I was sitting behind the goals at the footscray end (can't remember if thats the Plugger or Coventry end) on the 3rd level right toward the front.

For the entire first half, I watched North Melbourne players punch and bash St.kilda players tirelessly. For example, after Ahmed Saad ran into goal and got crunched in a tackle, the ball was cleared and everyone ran out of the fifty and Saady had just gotten up and was trudging back toward the play and along came that thug no. 42 from behind and punched him in the guts. Saady was floored for about another 30 seconds.

The north supporters, I felt, echoed this thug mentality in their barracking and demeanor. They were just as interested in watching their team bash the opposition as kick goals against the opposition. The fact that we won the free kick count convincingly shows the umpires were doing a good job because it was North Melbourne who took it upon themselves to bend and break the laws of the game and, put simply, go out to bash their opponents.

In the shadows of half-time, I experienced the strangest, most bizarre moment at the footy I've ever experienced. The continual north melbourne thuggery and the closeness and pressure of the game had reached a boiling point, and there was a brawl erupting in the center of the ground. The crowd was all out of their seats and going feral and I was standing up trying to see which players were brawling and where the umpire was and what everyone was going feral about.

All of a sudden I become aware of movement on my right, and I turn and look and there's this little girl running down the aisle towards me and people are all moving away and everyone is looking not at the game, but into the crowd, about 15 meters from where I stood, 3 rows down.

I look and there I see a north melbourne supporter who has jumped on top of a St.Kilda supporter from behind and is there literally on top of him, all over him, bashing him. The St.Kilda supporter was bashing him back, too. They were bashing each other, but it was the north supporter who initiating the bashing. You couldn't see their faces or anything out clearly, it was just a jumbling blob of hair and and jackets and fists.

They were both middle aged men, who I gather came together with a group of mums and dads and kids. All the kids and others had all cleared away a good 10 meters from the brawling dads, who were really in danger of falling over the fence if an accident happened, and the north guys roughly 12 year-old son with his north jumper on is crying as he watches on. I reckon he's seen dad do this a few times. Everyone else was just in plain shock. There were a good couple of hundred people at least in the crowd around who were all watching the incident.

In the meantime, all hell is breaking loose on the field and north are getting 50 meter penalties out their arse. People are yelling for security, but there is absolutely no security around and for a minute or two everyone's just standing there watching this unbelievable violent act of animalism right there in the crowd.

This big, burly guy who used to be a security guard has by this time made his way down the stairs from his spot further up in the crowd and he goes in there and pulls the two men off each other. Both their faces are covered in streaks of blood. The security guy walks off a bit and the north supporter jumps in again and the brawl resumes, so the security guy goes back in again. Meanwhile the rest of the crowd is oblivious and are going feral at north melbourne goals and the siren blowing and more spot-fires on the ground. It was pandemonium.

Finally, after a good five minutes, security finally arrives, along with police and ambulance/medical services. The female cop, when she got up the stairs and saw the two men with blood-covered faces, had a look of shock on her face. You just do not expect to see such a thing in this day & age. Is that what footy really is, for supporters, deep down? A place where you're allowed to go feral?

They were both escorted to the back behind the seats to receive medical treatment and speak to police. The St.Kilda supporter was the first to be escorted down the stairs, and as he was stepping out down the stairs away from the crowd all the North supporters in the area all went up together in an verbal attack of expletive-ridden filth. He looks at them in shock, and gestures, "what?"

[kosifantutti]

All of a sudden I become aware of movement on my right, and I turn and look and there's this little girl running down the aisle towards me and people are all moving away and everyone is looking not at the game, but into the crowd, about 15 meters from where I stood, 3 rows down.

I look and there I see a north melbourne supporter who has jumped on top of a St.Kilda supporter from behind and is there literally on top of him, all over him, bashing him. The St.Kilda supporter was bashing him back, too. They were bashing each other, but it was the north supporter who initiating the bashing. You couldn't see their faces or anything out clearly, it was just a jumbling blob of hair and and jackets and fists.

How do you know the North supporter started it if you didn't see the start.

There's idiots at every club.

[Dan Warna]

I've seen violence and poor behaviour from fans of all clubs. Including saints supporters.

12 years ago when i used to take my new born son to the footy in the basket (some of you may remember up in the new Moorabbin wing with his size 000 robert harvey signed hot cross bun jumper).

While pushed the pram to the car parked around the corner from dracula's North fans pelted me and another dad also pushing a pram (one of my best friends has 3 kids matching the ages of mine!) with about a dozen stones (fortunately nothing hit) from across the road.

I've never seen any other club members or supporters attack anyone else with a child before or after.

I've heard (and produced as some may remember also ) some of the foulest language, i've never been in fights but seen a few, but that was an all time low for me.

I guess that explains why North have always been the lowest order of fans, even lower than collingwood.

[8856brother]

Weekly occurance at Princess Park against the Blues. Mostly women. Mouths like public toilets.

[saintspremiers]

I just don't get it.

I've got no problems with supporters of opposing teams mouthing off at each other. But why a swearing match needs to turn to violence is beyond me.

Unfortunately there are imbeciles that love to throw a punch and therefore it's high risk to get into a spat with other people at the footy.

[ozrulestrace]

There was a snippet in one of the HUN publications earlier this week, but it didn't really say anything other than a fracas at the Latrobe Street end and supporters were ejected.

Over a Gate 5 around half time, we had a North witnit wearing a North bandana taunting everyone he walked past. And when security intervened, he spilt his beer all over the security guys before they managed to throw him out.

I'm no wowser but the incidents we've been witness to, or having been on the end of drunken abuse, have lead me to conclude it's time to ban alcohol sales at the ground.
Or in the case of Aami Park in Adelaide there is a yellow line at the backf of the stands which alcohol cannot be taken past this line.

And let's be honest here, it's not the young people who sit or stand behind us and get themselves pissed, it's often those who are in the middle-aged group.

[saintspremiers]

Is there not any dry areas at Etihad?

It's a shame there are quite a few morons that get violent after drinking. If convicted, at the very least they should have a zero alcohol ban on them for driving for life. That would be a start somewhat.

[Quixote]

There's ferals supporting every Club.


But what I do know is I can't wait for us to play that mob again. I have absolutely zero surprise in me that Scott has turned them into the sniping little pricks that they are.

We'll be ready next time.

[andrewg]

I don't take my kids to ANY collingwood game due to very bad language from their supporters and aggressive behavior.

Hate north now looooved watching them loose to eagles today. Proved to me my new found resentment towards them.

[Moods]

Last week at the game vs. North Melbourne, I saw the most shocking and horrible act of crowd violence I've ever witnessed in 22 years of going to the football.

I was going to post about this after the game, but I decided to let it go and forget about it but it's still bothering me so I thought I'd get it off my chest.

I was sitting behind the goals at the footscray end (can't remember if thats the Plugger or Coventry end) on the 3rd level right toward the front.

For the entire first half, I watched North Melbourne players punch and bash St.kilda players tirelessly. For example, after Ahmed Saad ran into goal and got crunched in a tackle, the ball was cleared and everyone ran out of the fifty and Saady had just gotten up and was trudging back toward the play and along came that thug no. 42 from behind and punched him in the guts. Saady was floored for about another 30 seconds.

The north supporters, I felt, echoed this thug mentality in their barracking and demeanor. They were just as interested in watching their team bash the opposition as kick goals against the opposition. The fact that we won the free kick count convincingly shows the umpires were doing a good job because it was North Melbourne who took it upon themselves to bend and break the laws of the game and, put simply, go out to bash their opponents.

In the shadows of half-time, I experienced the strangest, most bizarre moment at the footy I've ever experienced. The continual north melbourne thuggery and the closeness and pressure of the game had reached a boiling point, and there was a brawl erupting in the center of the ground. The crowd was all out of their seats and going feral and I was standing up trying to see which players were brawling and where the umpire was and what everyone was going feral about.

All of a sudden I become aware of movement on my right, and I turn and look and there's this little girl running down the aisle towards me and people are all moving away and everyone is looking not at the game, but into the crowd, about 15 meters from where I stood, 3 rows down.

I look and there I see a north melbourne supporter who has jumped on top of a St.Kilda supporter from behind and is there literally on top of him, all over him, bashing him. The St.Kilda supporter was bashing him back, too. They were bashing each other, but it was the north supporter who initiating the bashing. You couldn't see their faces or anything out clearly, it was just a jumbling blob of hair and and jackets and fists.

They were both middle aged men, who I gather came together with a group of mums and dads and kids. All the kids and others had all cleared away a good 10 meters from the brawling dads, who were really in danger of falling over the fence if an accident happened, and the north guys roughly 12 year-old son with his north jumper on is crying as he watches on. I reckon he's seen dad do this a few times. Everyone else was just in plain shock. There were a good couple of hundred people at least in the crowd around who were all watching the incident.

In the meantime, all hell is breaking loose on the field and north are getting 50 meter penalties out their arse. People are yelling for security, but there is absolutely no security around and for a minute or two everyone's just standing there watching this unbelievable violent act of animalism right there in the crowd.

This big, burly guy who used to be a security guard has by this time made his way down the stairs from his spot further up in the crowd and he goes in there and pulls the two men off each other. Both their faces are covered in streaks of blood. The security guy walks off a bit and the north supporter jumps in again and the brawl resumes, so the security guy goes back in again. Meanwhile the rest of the crowd is oblivious and are going feral at north melbourne goals and the siren blowing and more spot-fires on the ground. It was pandemonium.

Finally, after a good five minutes, security finally arrives, along with police and ambulance/medical services. The female cop, when she got up the stairs and saw the two men with blood-covered faces, had a look of shock on her face. You just do not expect to see such a thing in this day & age. Is that what footy really is, for supporters, deep down? A place where you're allowed to go feral?

They were both escorted to the back behind the seats to receive medical treatment and speak to police. The St.Kilda supporter was the first to be escorted down the stairs, and as he was stepping out down the stairs away from the crowd all the North supporters in the area all went up together in an verbal attack of expletive-ridden filth. He looks at them in shock, and gestures, "what?"

Hate to say it mate - but I'm tipping you're not very old - probably under 25 years??

Was just saying to a mate last night how different the footy is to 30 years ago. Back in the day blokes could pretty much drink as much as they could. When the 2 can limit came in plenty of blokes were furious. Standing in the outer blind was common for many blokes. I recall as a youngster seeing what you described probably 1/2 a doz times a year. It's not pleaseant for sure, and I'm gald my 12 year old daughter who I often go with didn't witness it. However, I reckon to some degree ppl don't realise how good the behaviour is now compared to 30 years ago. Back then it was anything goes. Racial abuse the lot. Rarely was there anything like telling blokes to tone it down either. How could a copper/security move through the outer that was packed and tap someone on the shoulder? They only arrived if a brawl erupted.

There is always exceptions, to which what you witnessed, but the fact that it was even reported shows how rare it is. I reckon almost once a game at the G you would see the crows stand up and there would be a fight somewhere. We live in a far more civilised world I reckon. Ppl bring their families rather the hordes of blokes rolling up causing trouble. Most ppl are seated. Today you get thrown out for being drunk - back in the day you only evey got thrown out of you were involved in a fight.

[Enrico_Misso]

We were sitting right behind the Northern goals but about 15 rows back.
Didn't see who started it.
But both protagonists were quite bloodied.

Worth saying that such incidents are few and far between.
I would hate to see supporters separated because of rare incidents like this.

[Harvey To Hayes]

I'm no wowser but the incidents we've been witness to, or having been on the end of drunken abuse, have lead me to conclude it's time to ban alcohol sales at the ground.
Or in the case of Aami Park in Adelaide there is a yellow line at the backf of the stands which alcohol cannot be taken past this line.

And let's be honest here, it's not the young people who sit or stand behind us and get themselves pissed, it's often those who are in the middle-aged group.

Because of your inane suggestion to ban alcohol from the football I would have to disagree, you are completely and utterly a one hundred percent total wowser.

What about the vast majority of people who enjoy a beer at the football but don't act like idiots? We just suffer for the actions of the moronic minority? Our society is so freaking over-regulated and idiots are always calling for more rules and laws...

[Dan Warna]

@moods.
yep, I'd be hard pressed to take my kids to the football of the 1980s when I started going.

As for the latrines ><

TD/ED/ducklands whatever has baby change rooms. Imagine that at Moorabbin, western oval, vic park, princes park etc...lol.

[SMS]

This is Australia. Dumb, Drunk and racist.

We have a great country but are just spoilt little children. We as a nation are a disgrace.