List of Australian rules football incidents

The List of Australian rules football incidents is a collection of both on and off-field incidents that have received media coverage involving footballers from the Australian Football League.

Incidents

1980s

1982

Angry at a change in the scheduling of the quarter finals of the Escort Cup national club competition, John Todd sends the Swan Districts reserves team to play Richmond. Swans are banned from the competition until 1985.

1985

Essendon are fined $500 for not informing players of the VFL's new time-wasting rule.
Collingwood Reserves full back John Bourke is suspended for ten years for kicking the field umpire, pushing the field umpire, kicking Swans Reserves player Pat Foy in the groin, assaulting a Swans spectator and striking the Collingwood runner.
Leigh Matthews is charged with the on-field assault of Nevile Bruns of Geelong, convicted and fined $1000. He is also suspended for four matches, both later dropped on appeal.

1988

Rodney Grinter of Melbourne is given a six week suspension for a punch that flattened Terry Wallace of Footscray.
Stewart Loewe of St Kilda is fined $1000 for shaking a goal post while an opposition player shot for goal.

1989

Tony Lockett is suspended for six matches for striking Guy McKenna in a controversial decision.
The West Coast Eagles squad is fined $180,000 ($9,000 each) for betting on a match vs Brisbane at Carrara (that they won).

1990s

1990

Tony Francis is suspended for six matches for kicking on debut.

1991

Darren Millane was killed in a car crash after clipping a semi-trailer whilst drink driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.322.
Robert Walls, the Brisbane Bears coach, ordered the punch-up of one his players, Shane Strempel at a training session. Walls said Strempel "needed to be taught a lesson". The bizarre training session only ended when another player said they should stop, or Strempel might be killed.

1993

Darren Wheildon of Fitzroy is fined $750 for shaking a goalpost while an opposition player shot for goal.
Nicky Winmar was abused by the crowd, and showed his skin to the crowd. This sparked a debate over on-field racism.

1994

Tony Lockett is suspended for 8 matches for striking Sydney's Peter Caven, breaking his nose.
Swans recruit Dermott Brereton is suspended for 7 weeks for standing on Hawthorn player Rayden Tallis' head. He is later suspended for another 7 matches for hitting Tony Free in the face with an open hand.

1995

After a claim of racism against Damian Monkhurst by Michael Long, the AFL is given the power to punish on field racial vilification.
Tony Liberatore is fined $1500 for saying that the goal umpire in the drawn Collingwood V Footscray match was a "disgrace".
North Melbourne Football club paid a young woman $15,000 to keep quiet about being sexually harassed by Wayne Carey and another player at a party.

1996

Wayne Carey pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a female bouncer outside a nightclub and settled Out Of Court when the woman filed a civil suit against him.
Jimmy Krakouer was sentenced to 16 years jail after being convicted of [...] trafficking. He was released in August 2004.
Collingwood players Jonathon Ross, Trent Hotten and Aaron James were charged after an altercation in a Melbourne nightclub in November 1996. Ross was delisted immediately while Hotten and James were fined and put on notice.

1997

Justin Charles is suspended for 16 matches for testing positive to an anabolic steroid.
Greg Williams is suspended for 9 matches for pushing umpire Andrew Coates after an Easter Monday clash against Essendon. He appeals to the courts and has the suspension overturned and continues to play, until the AFL appeals to a higher court and has the suspension reinstated, ending Williams career.
Collingwood player Trent Hotten arrives at a pre season training session intoxicated and is delisted on the spot. Hotten was later accused of leaking club secrets to the media, but the accusation was proved to be false.
Peter Everitt, racially abuses Essendon's Michael Long, it is understood Everitt called Long "an endangered species". Aboriginal St Kilda Teammate Nicky Winmar overhears Everitt's remarks.

1998

Hawthorn player investigated by Honolulu police, and subsequently Australian Federal Police over an alleged [...] assault on Hawthorns end of season trip to Hawaii.
Alistair Lynch discovered that the [...] he had been prescribed for his chronic fatigue syndrome, DHEA, was added to the IOC banned substance list and came forward for advice. His controversial fine was later overturned by the AFL on appeal.

1999

Byron Pickett had his licence revoked for 10 months after he crashed into a fire hydrant in Kensington.
Four Brisbane Lions players, including Adam Heuskes are accused of [...] in England during an end of year trip. British police fly to Australia to interview the players, but charges are not laid, with the players claiming that the [...] was consensual.
Peter Everitt AFL football operations manager Ian Collins hands down a $20,000 fine and a four-match suspension to Everitt for racially abusing Melbourne's Scott Chisholm. Everitt, with St Kilda, called Chisholm a ``black c ...'' after booting a goal against the Demons in Round 2, 1999, at Waverley Park.

2000-2006

2000

Gary Ablett, two years after his retirement, was implicated in a hotel room death where a young woman dies after an apparent [...] overdose
Peter Everitt was convicted for offensive behaviour and being drunk in a public place after his arrest at the 2000 MotoGP at Phillip Island.
Byron Pickett was pulled over by police in Kalgoorlie for speeding and charged with drink driving. Has his licence suspended for six months.
Byron Pickett has his licence suspended for another 10 months after he later crashed his car in South Australia, hitting a power pole whilst drink driving with a .121 reading.
Brad Ottens was arrested for being drunk in a public place.
Wayne Carey On February 15, 2000, Carey gave character evidence for high profile Melbourne gangster, Jason Moran during his County Court trial.

2001

Kris Barlow, Hawthorn player, is alleged to have punched Brett Viney, the brother of former Melbourne captain Todd Viney, at a Richmond pub in November 2001.

2002

Wayne Carey was involved in an affair with Kelli Stevens, the wife of his teammate and club vice-captain Anthony Stevens.
David Schwarz Racially abuses Carlton's Justin Murphy while playing for Melbourne against Geelong in round three last year. Schwarz was said to have called him a "coconut".
Wayne Carey On January 24, 2002 it was reported that Carey had been quizzed by officials at his new football club - the Adelaide Crows - over an incident at a prominent Adelaide hotel. The star footballer and several mates had been accused of fighting with a group of drinkers in the front bar of the Stamford Grand Hotel.
A crazed fan runs onto the MCG during a game and attempts to touch Greg Stafford. It was later revealed that the woman had been stalking him for five years and was quoted as saying "I am not guilty of stalking Greg ... I am guilty of loving Greg."

2003

Steven Lawrence was involved in a car accident whilst drink driving, and was subsequently sacked by his club, St Kilda.

2004

Stephen Milne and Leigh Montagna had [...] allegations laid by two women (charges were never laid due to insufficient evidence).
Former AFL player John McCarthy appeared in an Adelaide court accused of three counts of [...]. He was acquitted.
Peter Burgoyne and Adam Heuskes were charged with [...] assault but charges later dropped by the South Australian Director of Public Prosecutions after he did not consider a conviction likely. The pair, along with Michael O'Loughlin who was not alleged to be involved in the assault, were later alleged to have paid the woman $200,000 after she commenced a civil action against the players.
Danny Jacobs was caught drink-driving and lied about teammate Lance Picioane being with him at the time, initially claiming that he wasn't driving, but just sitting in the car tuning the radio. Both players were fined $5000 by Hawthorn.
Claims of some AFL players wanting to urinate and defecate on women at a strip club during an end of season celebration were leaked.
Jeff Farmer pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner by hitting her several times in the head and was fined $2,000.
Quentin Lynch Caught Drink Driving.
Hawthorn Player, investigated by police for an alleged [...] assault.
Cameron Cloke of Collingwood was caught doing 144 km/h in a 100Km/h zone.

2005

Fremantle Dockers players of Victorian and South Australian origin go on a mid-week, mid-season pub crawl, which involves alleged instances of players exposing themselves.
Steve Johnson and Andrew Mackie Both Geelong players were detained by police in the early hours of yesterday morning for being drunk in a public place. ].
Jay Schulz was involved in a drink driving incident where his actions led to a termination of sponsorship with the TAC.
Ben Cousins and Michael Gardiner were questioned by police over telephone calls made following a brawl and shooting and at a Perth nightclub. Police believed they had conversations with at least one of the two men charged with disposing of the gun after the brawl.
Karl Norman left his rented house trashed and with outstanding rent owing.
Laurence Angwin and Karl Norman turned up to training under influence of [...]. Norman was suspended and Angwin fired, later making public allegations of widespread [...]-use within the AFL.
Police admit that a [...] investigation into Heath Culpitt was horribly botched after several years' delays and the disappearance of crucial evidence. Chief detective expresses lack of confidence and ombudsman recommends disciplinary action against investigators.
Alan Didak was fined $2,000 for giving the Fremantle cheer squad "the double finger" at Subiaco.
Lance Whitnall, Nick Stevens and Heath Scotland were in a pub when they witnessed an acquaintance being beaten, kidnapped and tortured by suspected members of an outlaw motorcycle club..
Saverio Rocca was whisked away from the imminent birth of his son to a football game in a police vehicle travelling at speed with lights and sirens. After initial denials, police concede that the incident occurred and that the police officer has been counselled.
Various allegations are made about rapes, including drink-spiking and an attempted drink-spiking against a player's wife.
Richmond forward Nathan Brown breaks his leg in horrific circumstances, ending his season. He has suffered leg-related injuries since.
Justin Leppitsch, Craig Lambert, Jonathan Brown, Tim Notting, Fraser Gehrig, Steven Lawrence were refused entry at Bangkok airport due to undisclosed incidents

2006

Colin Sylvia allegedly assaulted his girlfriend and threatened to kill a passerby who intervened. It is believed he was intoxicated at the time. After going to court, a Melbourne magistrate ordered him not to harass, threaten or intimidate her and no charges were laid.
Brad Ottens of Geelong fails a random breath test when pulled over in Doncaster in the early hours of September 9. Ottens was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.116, more than twice the legal limit.
Ben Cousins, upon facing a random road-side alcohol breathalyser test, abandoned his car on a Perth highway and fled on foot before being chased by police. He was later fined $5,000 by the Eagles and $900 in court. In a separate incident, Cousins was arrested for public drunkenness outside Crown Casino in Southbank, Victoria.
Ashley Sampi was charged after threatening his girlfriend and her sister with a knife. He pleaded guilty and was fined $750.
Simon Goodwin assaulted a photographer before threatening to "[...] kill" him after running amok at an Adelaide pub at 11am.
Heath Black was charged with assault, obstructing police and assaulting police after an incident at the Perth Cup.
Brodie Holland was fined over various driving offences including driving without a license and driving recklessly. He received no conviction over the incident and was instead fined $560..
Campbell Brown was charged with criminal damage and using indecent language offences stemming from his attack on an out of order 7-Eleven ATM. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was placed into a diversionary program for young offenders, receiving no conviction.
Brodie Holland is charged with assaulting two women out the front of a Melbourne nightclub.
Heath Scotland was charged with recklessly causing serious injury in a pub. The matter is still before the courts.
Dane Swan, Aaron Ramsay and Kade Carey were found guilty of criminal damage and assault charges arising from a brawl at Federation Square where they attacked a cleaner and three security guards after Carey jumped on a parked car.
Chad Morrison was caught drink-driving and loses his licence. Collingwood is sponsored by the Transport Accident Commission which fined the club $200,000, and fined Morrison $20,000..
Three players returned two positive tests to illicit [...] use under The New code. The player's identities are now the subject of ongoing legal action between the AFL, AFLPA and media organisations.
Sam Newman, while at a German beer house in June 2006, was provoked by a member of the crowd, being spat upon. The footage was filmed by the Nine Network.
Dean Brogan punched Dale Mortimer, fan of the Adelaide Crows, at Adelaide Airport after being insulted, allegedly breaking Mortimer's nose. He pleaded guilty and was fined $750.
Michael Gardiner was caught drink driving after an incident where he destroyed his car and badly damaged three others. In light of his previous record in being involved in incidents, Gardiner was fined $5,000 by the Eagles, and $800 in court. He is suspended by the Eagles indefinitely, and is later traded to St. Kilda.
Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson, of Collingwood, were investigated over a brawl at a Port Melbourne nightclub carpark on July 30, where a 28 year-old man is rendered unconscious and brought to hospital with facial injuries. Both players are fined $5,000 by their club for breaking a 1am curfew. This brought the number of Collingwood footballers to be charged or questioned by police in 2006 to five. Club President Eddie McGuire condemned the players' behaviour but refused to suggest they would be suspended. Johnson appeared before a magistrate charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault but avoided conviction.
Alan Didak, of Collingwood, was arrested after a dispute with a taxi driver on October 6, 2006. It was reported that he disputed a $15 fare difference with taxi driver, and was taken to the Melbourne Custody Centre to sober up, before being released. The club confirmed this in an official statement.
Eagles' players Dean Cox and Quinten Lynch were severely reprimanded for saying "[...]" in their post-match interviews after the Grand Final.
Brendan Fevola, on an overseas trip to Ireland as part of the International Rules Series, was involved in an incident where he applied a headlock to a barman and was said to be very drunk. Fevola was subsequently suspended for the second Test which was to take place the following week and immediately sent home by the AFL to avoid accusations of a junket.
Sam Mitchell was assaulted in a Hawthorn hotel on December 4.
Jeff Farmer and Steven Dodd were involved in an unspecified "altercation" at Club Bayview in Claremont on December 3.
Ben Cousins was found drunk outside of Melbourne's Crown Casino early in the morning of December 3. He was arrested by police for public drunkenness, following his "heated reaction" to being asked to move on
Andrew Krakouer, along with younger brother Tyrone and Another Man, were charged with recklessly causing serious injury following an incident outside the Harbourside nightclub in Fremantle on December 22. The alleged victim, Justin Robin Martin, sustained serious head injuries and remains in intensive care. The charges have since been upgraded to intentionally causing serious injury.
Steve Johnson was arrested for public drunkenness in Wangaratta on December 24. This is his second such arrest in 18 months.. He was banned from his club until May 2007.
Heath Black pleaded guilty in the Fremantle Magistrates Court to a charge of disorderly behaviour. He was fined $250 for urinating in public on December 9.
Andrew Lovett faced court action after an alleged bashing of ex-girlfriend Kimberlie Watson in April 2006. He allegedly breached an intervention order against him in September 2006.
Chad Fletcher Allegedly involved in a medical incident in Las Vegas, where he allegedly almost died.
Chris Egan,Leon Davis,Shannon Cox Collingwood players all suspended for breaking team rules.
Jarryd Roughead Has licence suspended for a year after speeding
Peter Everitt family was being torn apart in a bitter feud over claims he swindled his sister out of her life savings. Everitt's younger sister, Linda, was threatening legal action against the Hawthorn star, accusing him of conning her into buying a failing juice-bar business.
Daryn Creswell former Sydney Swans player is investigated by Queensland police for alleged [...] assault.

2007 to current

January

Several AFL players were questioned over a hotel scuffle in a St Kilda bar. Players allegedly involved included Fraser Gehrig, Craig McRae, Steven Lawrence, Simon Black and Michael Voss. Criminal charges were laid against the players in June, 2007.

February

Heath Scotland was charged with assault and recklessly causing injury to a female outside a Ballarat night spot at 5am, on February 11. Police alleged that Scotland splashed his drink on her and that when she attempted to push him away, he struck the right side of her face with his hand. With him were Lance Whitnall, Shaun Grigg, Kade Simpson, Brad Fisher and Michael Jamison. All players were fined by the club for breaking curfew.
Dean Brogan was charged with assaulting oral surgeon Dr Zahi Khouri after fight between their dogs whilst walking them in an Adelaide park. He pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000.
Daniel Kerr pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault for throwing a car aerial at a taxi driver's face outside a Perth hospital and was fined $1,800.
Covert police recordings of Kerr discussing The Effects of ketamine with a convicted [...] dealer were later released through Lateline. Other sporting figures include footballer Aaron Edwards and basketballer James Harvey, and though not recorded, Ben Cousins is mentioned. Kerr is not sanctioned as he did not know of the conviction.
As part of an ongoing investigation, four players are named for breaching the AFL's code of conduct forbidding gambling of any type on AFL matches. The players named are Simon Goodwin of the Adelaide Crows (fined a record $40,000), Daniel Ward of Melbourne Demons (fined $10,000), David Hale of the Kangaroos (fined $5,000) and Keiren Jack of the Sydney Swans (reprimanded).

March

Lance Whitnall Newly named Carlton captain Lance Whitnall is involved in a bizarre bitter public argument with his brother. Tammy Whitnall told 3AW the feud started over a no-show at a Whitnall child's birthday party, followed by a non-invitation to the zoo.
Ben Cousins was suspended indefinitely from the West Coast Eagles for failing to attend two training sessions. After his father admitted he had a "substance abuse" problem, he underwent and completed [...] rehabilitation in the US, returning to Perth on the 30th of April to continue treatment.
Chad Fletcher was named as the player who collapsed during a Las Vegas end-of-season trip, allegedly having 'flatlined'. There are conflicting accounts as to whether or not illicit drugs were involved.
Brodie Holland was fined $2,500 for his role in a fight with a young woman over a taxi cab. After Hollands fiancee was involved in a scuffle with the woman, Holland approached calling the woman a "stupid [...]" before trying to tackle her, placing her in a headlock after which she bit him on The Stomach, before striking her in the head with his fist. His court appearance was pushed back on two occasions so not to clash with his football commitments; once he faced court no conviction was recorded and no punishment handed out from his club, Collingwood..

April

Des Headland Fremantle Dockers midfielder Des Headland is cleared by the AFL Tribunal despite being found guilty of striking and wrestling. Headland had an on-field altercation with West Coast's Adam Selwood after Selwood allegedly made derogatory remarks about his daughter. Selwood is also cleared.
A series of articles in The Sunday Age by Andrew Rule made allegations of widespread [...] abuse by AFL footballers
.
Serious allegations were made that a 'rat-pack' of high-profile current and former players have been targeted by police and the media for [...] use.
David Teague is acquitted of careless driving after an incident which left a woman a quadriplegic.
Michael Braun was fined $5,500 for concluding an acceptance speech for the Ross Glenndinning Medal on live television with the words "Let's have a [...] good year".
The Australian Football League is criticised by much of the media for their drugs policy that is "soft" on illicit drugs. All AFL players will be [...]-tested less than once a year on average whereas players from the National Rugby League are tested on average 7.5 times per year.
Fremantle Dockers player Jeff Farmer knocked out a bouncer in the suburb of Northbridge after being refused entry to a nightclub. He is suspended for six matches and fined $5,000 by the Dockers and $3,000 in court.

May

Mark McVeigh of Essendon was fined $900 for jokingly giving a mate the "finger" in the last quarter of the Essendon v St Kilda Round 4 match.
Ray Hall from the Richmond Tigers was suspended for three weeks, fined $5,000 and ordered to do community service after he was allegedly involved in an altercation with a patron in a Melbourne bar; police are investigating the incident.

June

Des Headland involved in a physical altercation on the streets of Northbridge.
Chris Tarrant from Fremantle mooned a female patron in a Darwin nightclub and punched Labor Candidate for Solomon, Damian Hale, in the face. Tarrant was suspended for three matches (two suspended pending good behaviour) and fined $5,000 by the Dockers; police did not lay charges due to no complaint being made.

July

Alan Didak was questioned by police in June over his acquaintance with Christopher Wayne Hudson, who Didak drank with at 4am in a strip club before a wild ride in the week before the CBD shootings.
Jeff Farmer was charged with criminal damage for smashing a car's side mirror in a rage after being ejected from Burswood Casino. He admits to an alcohol problem, and is fined $750 in court after pleading guilty (with $458 costs), fined $10,000 by the Dockers and ordered to donate $45,000 to charity.

August

Mick McGuane On August 8, 2007, the Age reported that a former star footballer was set to be linked to Melbourne's gangland war when his unexplained relationships with major organised crime figures is made public in court.
Daniel Kerr was fined $2,000 over an assault of a teenage Fremantle fan at a party in Perth on January 13, leaving the fan with a broken nose and two missing teeth. His father Roger was also charged, but has not yet faced court.
Darren Milburn of Geelong was fined $600 for throwing his mouthguard at North Melbourne’s Shannon Grant as Grant went to kick for goal.
Two high-profile Melbourne based footballers are revealed to be undergoing treatment for [...] addiction at a clinic in Ivanhoe, after leaked records were 'found' in a gutter and sold to Channel 7. A court injunction prevents the name of the players or club involved to be named. Police later raid the Channel 7 offices and charge two people with theft. The AFLPA encourages players to boycott Channel 7 and not answer questions from their reporters in press conferences.
Ben Hudson Was suspended by his club at the time Adelaide Crows for breaking a curfew.

September

On the eve of Geelong's 2007 AFL Grand Final appearance, David Johnson was arrested in regards to an assault in Geelong at 4:15am. He was not selected to play in the grand final, but was a member of the Geelong VFL side's premiership the previous week.
Richmond's Jake King swears on live television after winning the Grand Final sprint - stating that "I thought [Port Adelaide's Nathan] Krakouer would [...] it in". The incident didn't get the publicity or response of the Braun incident from earlier in the season from the media or AFL.

October

Ivan Maric, John Meesen The two Adelaide Crows footballers were caught posting hand-drawn pornographic pictures on a website accessible to children.
Chris Mainwaring, a dual premiership player with the West Coast Eagles and Seven Network sports newsreader, is found dead in his Cottesloe home, aged 41.

Ben Cousins from the West Coast Eagles is arrested in Northbridge and later charged with possession of an illegal substance and refusing a blood test. He is later sacked by the club. The possession charge made against Cousins is subsequently dropped, due to the [...] being possessed actually being legal to possess. The charge of refusing a blood test is deferred for 90 days while Cousins attends a Malibu [...] rehabilitation clinic. Instead, Cousins ends up in an LA hospital after reportedly going on a [...] binge. The charge of refusing a blood test is later dropped on a technicality.

Main Menu

List of Australian rules football incidents

Incidents

1980s

1990s

2000-2006

2007 to current

See also

Further reading

List of Australian rules football incidents

Incidents

1980s

1990s

2000-2006

2007 to current

See also

Further reading

See Also

List of Australian rules football masters leagues

List of Umpire Associations in Australia

List of nicknames used in Australian rules