Page 492 - History of Parkside Football Club (1897-2017) Editied Version Completed_optimized

Parkside Football Club 1897/2017

“Football violence erupted in the West again last weekend, with 33 players reported and 50 police
called to the Yarraville Oval.

Police were called to two senior Footscray District League finals when violent scenes on and off the
field threatened to get out of hand.

Dozens of police and a police helicopter were summoned to the Deer Park/Braybrook senior first
semi-final at Yarraville on Sunday.

Thirty-three players were reported in all FDFL matches last weekend as the finals football in the
western suburbs turned spiteful and nasty.

One leading FDFL identity, who declined to be named, described ugly incidents in the Deer
Park/Braybrook match as "sickening".

"You really do question whether you want to be involved in football after seeing some of what went
on there," he said. "It's just not worth it. I was really scared for some of the players out there ... it
was a scary day for football."

But Braybrook captain-coach Philip O'Keeffe said he didn't know what all the fuss was about.

"The league has reacted over nothing, absolutely nothing," said O'Keeffe, who missed the cut-throat
match because of suspension. "There was nothing out there to be scared about. There was not one
king hit ... there was no nothing."

O'Keeffe said he "was as stunned as anybody when 50 to 60 police suddenly turned up" at the
Yarraville Oval.

"There were divvy vans, riot vans ... a helicopter flying around overhead for an hour," he said. "It was
like we had guns there or something."

An angry O'Keeffe blasted talk that his side was the cause of the reckless violence.

"Everyone reckons we're the mugs," he said. "We had two blokes who copped broken noses and
another bloke carried off with concussion. I'm not saying Deer Park were mugs here ... I reckon the
game was played in great spirit. But Braybrook is treated as if we've got a pack of mass murderers
playing for us."

He fired a shot at the standard of umpiring during the match, describing it as "absolutely, completely
dis-graceful".

The FDFL's weekend of woe began on Saturday, during the A2 Section 1 second semi-final between

West Newport and North Melbourne and Kensington at Skinner Reserve in Braybrook.

Sunshine police were called to the match.

Once a Parksider, Always a Parksider