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AFL star's dad is allegedly assaulted in violent brawl at footy match

AFL star's dad is allegedly assaulted in violent brawl at footy match

Daily Mail​03-06-2025
The father of Melbourne Demons star Bayley Fritsch was allegedly 'caught up in a brawl' at a local footy match this weekend, according to reports.
Scott Fritsch, 57, was understood to have been watching his son Darcy play for Coldstream in the Eastern Football Netball League on Saturday against Upper Ferntree Gully.
According to The Herald Sun, Mr Fritsch was allegedly assaulted on the touchline just before the final siren.
Individuals close to the outlet stated that Scott, who also played in the Eastern Football League, 'was the intended target' of the alleged assault.
The details of the incident still remain hazy.
Victoria Police state that a man was arrested following the incident.
'Police arrested a man following an assault at a local football match in Upper Ferntree Gully on Saturday, 31 May,' a statement read.
'Investigators were told that spectators were involved in a scuffle at a sporting ground on Willow Road at about 4.45pm.
'A 57-year-old Coldstream man was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
'A 44-year-old Seville man was interviewed and is expected to be charged on summons for intentionally causing injury and unlawful assault.'
The Fritsch family declined to issue comment to The Herald Sun.
Highlights footage, posted by the Eastern Football Netball League on Vimeo, showed umpires and players reacting to the brawl, with a group of umpires conversing to what appeared to a Coldstream official after the game while pointing to a section of the crowd that was not in view.
The officials were subsequently escorted off the footy pitch by two umpire escorts.
Some members of both playing cohorts were seen motioning their team-mates to stay away from the melee.
'Ambulance Victoria responded to calls to an incident in Upper Ferntree Gully at around 5:00pm on 31 May,' a statement read.
'No emergency transport was provided.'
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both clubs and the footy league for comment.
Scott amassed 300 appearances for the footy club and has since been handed Life Membership by the Eastern Football Netball League.
He notably captained the footy club to Coldstream's Division Four premiership win in 2001.
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