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Second player charged after final melee BY TEO PELLIZZERI THE fallout from a last-quarter brawl in the Essendon District Football League division 1 grand final is expected to continue this week with another tribunal charge. The Weekly understands that the league’s investigating officer has returned with a striking charge for a West Coburg player. It will not come with a set penalty and must be heard at the tribunal. The additional charge comes a week after Burgers player Abdikane Fitaax pleaded guilty at
the tribunal to one count each of striking and kicking. He was suspended last Tuesday for a combined 11 weeks. Fitaax received four weeks for the strike and seven for the kick, both directed at Airport West player Billy Iles. The Weekly understands that Fitaax believed he was subject to a racial slur before his violent outburst and this claim was tabled at the tribunal. But no Airport West player has been accused of making such a slur. The Weekly also understands Iles attended the
tribunal and denied making any racial slur. The EDFL confirmed last week that Iles was not being investigated. West Coburg has confirmed it will not be making an official complaint via AFL Victoria guidelines for instances of racial vilification. Speculation and accusation has been rife in social media, be it on the bigfooty.com.au forums, on Facebook or on Twitter about what motivated the violence and the actions of those in the brawl. EDFL general manager Marc Turri said the tribunal, independent of league administration,
had ruled on the evidence presented by those in attendance. ‘‘A lot of people are making suggestions and statements, and that started as soon as the game finished on what transpired. It’s come to light that not all the suggestions made are actually correct and that was pretty much determined at the tribunal. ‘‘Ultimately it was a very serious incident, the whole melee was very serious, and is not something that can be condoned. ‘‘But at the same time rumour and innuendo can blow something out of proportion.’’
PEGS missing on year’s biggest day PEGS’ Cecilia Nguyen puts her arm in the way of a Dandenong strike at the State Hockey Centre on Saturday. But it was pain for PEGS as Greater Dandenong Warriors claimed the women’s state league 4 grand final 3-0. PEGS had won two out of the three meetings with the Warriors during the home-and-away season but could not find the net on Saturday morning. Greater Dandenong’s Jade Morrison, Jessica Phillips and Katherine Barber were the goalscorers. Go to mooneevalleyweekly.com.au for more of Ari Hatzis’s action shots from the grand final
Sydenham stands in way of Avondale Heights’ title bid BY TEO PELLIZZERI AVONDALE Heights’ attempts to win the title will go down to the final day in FFV league action but Essendon United’s promotion hopes may not after mixed results for Moonee Valleybased clubs on Saturday. The Heights beat North Sunshine Eagles 2-0 in state league 3 north-west on Saturday via goals from Shaun Ticehurst and Frank Bazzano. However, title rival Sydenham Park were also winners, beating Hume United 2-1 to maintain a two-point
gap at the top of the league. If Avondale Heights wins away at Melbourne University this weekend, Sydenham Park must win its match at home against Yarraville to claim the title. Sydenham has 53 points to Avondale’s 51 but the Heights’ goal difference is six better. The bad news for Avondale Heights is Yarraville reached safety from relegation at the weekend and is no longer playing in a do-or-die situation against Sydenham Park. In provisional 1 north-west, Essendon United drew 1-1 with Corio at the
[ 86 ] MOONEE VALLEY WEEKLY – YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE
September 18, 2012
weekend and needs a series of unlikely results to finish second. Fixture backlog has crippled United’s season with catch-up games coming in a flurry at the end of the campaign. United has 34 points from 20 played, while second-placed Moreland United has 39 points from 21 played. Should Essendon United beat Northern Falcons at the State Football Centre tomorrow night it will still go into the final day of the season a mathematical chance of top two. But United would need to beat Lalor
United, already relegated Maribyrnong Greens would have to defeat Moreland United and mid-table Surf Coast would have to beat Corio. In provisional 2 north-west, Essendon Royals sealed safety in the division for another year after a 1-1 draw with Northern Roosters. Relegation rival Laverton Park already needed a string of favourable results to catch the Royals and was mathematically relegated with its 1-1 draw against Bell Park. The Royals are 10th with 22 points from 20 played while Laverton Park in
11th is on 16 from 21 played. The Royals play a catch-up game against Plenty Valley Lions tonight at the State Football Centre and finish the season away at Western Eagles on Saturday. In provisional 3 north-west, Denny Pincic scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win against Bundoora United. While Tornado (fifth, 29 points) cannot be promoted, the result dealt a hammer blow to Bundoora’s promotion chances. Tornado played a catchup game against Brimbank Stallions last night and finish the season against Watsonia Heights on Saturday.