
Shocking violence from Hawthorn supporters caught on camera in the wake of big loss to Collingwood at the MCG
Shocking footage has emerged of Hawthorn fans striking and kicking a man at the MCG in the wake of the the club's heavy loss to Collingwood on Friday night.
Rampaging Collingwood have blown Hawthorn away by 51 points at the MCG, inflicting a third-straight defeat upon the Hawks.
And tensions appeared to boil over in the stands after the defeat, with vision showing several attendees in Hawthorn supporter gear lashing out at another footy fan.
One of the Hawthorn supporters held the man in a stairwell so he could not escape, striking him in the back of the head.
While he was restrained, the man was also kicked and struck with a rolled up supporter flag.
Eventually security arrived on the scene and the Hawks supporters released the young man.
Move over Carlton fans, there's a new leader for the biggest bunch of sore losers #aflpieshawks https://t.co/BYbZVd9ZUT
— Jacob ⚫️⚪️🤘 (@MagpieMetalcore) May 30, 2025
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed that 10 attendees were ejected from the MCG on Friday.
'Police were generally pleased with the crowd behaviour at the MCG for Friday night's AFL match, with an estimated crowd of 74,000,' they said.
'There were a small number of behavioural issues with ten people evicted from the stadium by police.
'Officers are aware of a fight which broke out following an altercation between a small group about 10.30pm.
'A 32-year-old man advised police that he was assaulted but did not wish to make a statement at that time.
'The man was not injured during the incident.'
Footy fans were shocked by the vision.
'This is actually upsetting to see. physically assaulting someone over a game is actually insane behaviour,' one posted.
'Give all involved lifetime bans we don't need to end up going down the EPL route with drunken a***holes ruining it for everyone,' added another.
'I witnessed this with my family (kids) it was awful. @HawthornFC cheersquad unleashed and was disgusting,' a stunned mother posted.
The incident is the latest act of violence to break out a the MCG after a string of fights and altercations in recent years.
In April 2025, two men were arrested for allegedly bringing loaded firearms into the MCG during a blockbuster Carlton vs. Collingwood match.
Despite the stadium's adoption of AI-powered security technology, the men reportedly bypassed detection, prompting serious questions about current protocols.
Victoria Police confirmed both men were charged, and investigations into how the weapons entered the venue are ongoing.
A year earlier, in April 2024, violence erupted inside the exclusive MCC Members' Dining Room during the ANZAC Round clash between Hawthorn and Sydney. T
he altercation reportedly began when a teenager refused to stand for the national anthem, sparking an argument that escalated into a physical brawl.
Two men sustained minor injuries, and the incident drew widespread condemnation for tarnishing the respectful tone of the evening.
Crowd violence has not been confined to private sections.
In August 2022, following a tense match between Collingwood and Carlton, three separate fights broke out in and around the ground.
One viral video showed multiple men exchanging punches outside the stadium, with one individual knocked to the pavement. Police were called to disperse the crowds and investigate the altercations.
Similar scenes were witnessed in March 2019 during the AFL season opener between Richmond and Carlton.
A 19-year-old was arrested after a violent clash broke out in the stands. Footage of the fight circulated online, prompting the AFL to consider banning those involved from future matches.
That same year, another confrontation occurred during a Collingwood vs. GWS game, this time in the Olympic Stand.
The situation escalated when a man reportedly poured a drink over a security guard. Police deployed capsicum spray to subdue multiple individuals. Two men were arrested as fans fled the area.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
27 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Bailey Smith hits the right note at Geelong but he is no showstopper
Bailey Smith could easily have coasted along against Essendon on the weekend. He could have racked up a few dozen disposals for Geelong and saved his hamstrings for the far more onerous challenge of Brisbane this Friday. But that's not how he's wired. Everything is at full throttle. There is not a lot of craft or guile to how he plays. He simply runs the opposition into the ground. With apologies to Shane Crawford and Robert Harvey, he runs harder than any footballer I can remember. Prior to his knee injury at Western Bulldogs, Smith had been gradually squeezed out of favour. The coach Luke Beveridge didn't quite know what to do with him. The fanbase was increasingly frustrated with him. He was a hard footballer to place. He was a subdued, resentful figure. The ACL in many ways clarified things. Smith was barely at the club during rehab. 'A lonely, shitty period,' he called it. He was training on his own. He led an interesting social life. Relationships with teammates and the coach were fractured, perhaps forever. The Dogs were in an early season rut and he was swanning about with his shirt off in the European summer. Understandably, it rubbed a few of them up the wrong way. They'd protected him and tolerated him. Now he was singing off with a very strange Instagram post; 'To those praying for my downfall, thank you.' It was probably best for everyone that he left. The Bulldogs and Cats are two very different midfields, and Smith and his coach ultimately struggled to find his right fit. Beveridge was overloaded with midfielders, and the Cats were crying out for one. His personality and his game wasn't suited to being a fourth or fifth stringer. Since changing clubs, so many ridiculous things have been said and written about Smith. Here's Steve Crawley, the managing director of Fox Sports, speaking to The Age recently; 'Big-time sports need show-stoppers like Bailey Smith. Think [David] Beckham. Think Pat Cash at 18 with the bandana, Tiger Woods, think David Warner. Mortals are OK, but superheroes are better. He is Shane Warne-like.' I mean, just settle yourself down! Smith isn't really a showstopper at all. He's a grinder. He's an accumulator. He's a death-by-a-thousand-cuts footballer. And clearly, if a recent podcast is any indication, he's caught between being Crawley's 'superhero' and the frankly pretty boring life of a professional footballer – eat, sleep, train, sauna, cold plunge, rack up 41 touches, repeat. Some of the language Smith used on the Real Stuff podcast would be familiar to anyone who suffers extreme anxiety – 'obsessive', 'perfectionist', and so on. As early as year 10 at school, he had injuries from overtraining and even a bout of pneumonia he says was caused by stress. In every article I read about Smith, the word 'complex' bobs up. We write about him like he's Hamlet. But in this interview, I simply heard a young man who's still figuring out who he is, who needs to be well managed, who's still learning how to manage himself. To his credit, he called out a lot of the analysis of the game, calling it 'toxic'. It can only help that he got out of Melbourne. If ever someone needed a bit of peace and quiet, it's him. It would be ever better if he got off his phone. But of course, that's the great paradox of his life. He has built his brand on that phone. Other influencers or fitness models of a similar social media reach would encounter all sorts of negativity and trolling. But there are many different layers when it comes to what Smith would cop – 17 supporter bases willing him to fail, a governing body that will fine him without hesitation, imbeciles screaming at him from over the fence, taggers, his former club, and an entire industry of analysis shows designed to pick apart, scold and rein him in. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion With Bailey Smith, it has always been about something else other than football. It has always been about the brand, the monkey mind, the fireside chats, the abs, the smartassery, the sculptural miracle of the hair, the petty offences. However, he has been an outstanding footballer at Geelong. He resembles Fabio and still occasionally kicks like him, but given the frantic, full pelt way his new team seeks to play, the odd stray kick isn't necessarily a bad thing. Watching someone like Scott Pendlebury play footy is like settling into a pair of old slippers. Watching Smith is very different. The hyperactivity of his game can make it seem as though he is constantly on the verge of blowing up, of running out of batteries. You worry about him but there he is, moving like a shovel snouted lizard, notching up his 41st possession, and moving into Brownlow medal favouritism.


The Guardian
27 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The concept of ‘naseeb' offers a way to stay grounded even when the world refuses to make sense
I still remember the day I left Germany for good. Four incredible years in the heart of Europe were behind me, and ahead of me was a return to Afghanistan – a country I never stopped loving, even from afar. But what should have felt like going home came with a weight of uncertainty. I went back with hope. Real hope. Afghanistan, despite all its scars, was buzzing with young energy. More than two-thirds of the population is under 25. You could feel the hunger for change in the air – in the packed classrooms, in the cafes full of debate, in the crowded markets thick with the smell of naan and kebabs. There were snow-capped mountains and sunlit orchards but also a fragile kind of optimism holding everything together. And then, it collapsed. The Taliban returned. The dream didn't just crack – it shattered. I fled again. This time to Australia. Not just with a backpack but with heartbreak, questions and a strange, lingering word echoing in my mind: naseeb. In Muslim communities, naseeb is a word people often say when things don't go to plan. A job you didn't get. A wedding that never happened. A flight missed, or a prayer unanswered. 'It wasn't your naseeb,' people say, as if to help you let go. But what does it really mean? In today's world – where we glorify hustle, control, five-year plans and endless optimisation – naseeb almost sounds too passive. But it's not about giving up. Not really. In Islamic thinking, naseeb is the paradox of action and surrender. You do your part – fully, fiercely – but you also understand that you're not the only one writing the story. It's a kind of faith that says: work like it depends on you. Pray like it is absolutely out of your control. And then … let go. If I've learned anything from watching Afghanistan's story unfold, it's that you can't always steer the ship. This country has seen it all – modern monarchs, Marxist revolutions, a brief democratic experiment, and now a return to religious rule. Every shift came with promises and every one of them left behind disappointment. For many Afghans, naseeb isn't just a saying. It's how they keep going. A way of surviving what they cannot change. And somehow, within that, there's strength. There's a verse in the Qur'an that often plays in my mind:'Perhaps you dislike a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know.' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:216) That line has helped me through displacement, heartbreak and uncertainty. It reminds me that even when everything falls apart, the effort still matters. The fight still meant something. Rumi, the Afghan-born poet so many of us turn to for wisdom, put it in a way only he could:'Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you.' In that sense, naseeb isn't a chain – it's a kind of freedom. A way to stay grounded when the world refuses to make sense. Just this morning, sipping coffee on a chilly Melbourne day, I scrolled through Instagram and saw Bollywood director Karan Johar talking about it. 'There are a million people more talented than me,' he said, 'but they might not have been this successful. We are born with a naseeb – something marked in our palm lines and on our forehead.' He wasn't saying don't work hard. Quite the opposite. His point was: talent and hustle matter – but they're not the whole story. And it's not just an Islamic idea. In Judaism, there's bashert – destined fate, especially in relationships. Christianity says, 'In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.' (Proverbs 16:9). Hinduism teaches karma and divine timing. Buddhism urges us to act but not cling to outcomes. Across the board, it seems like all these traditions are hinting at the same truth: do your best but don't expect to control everything. That's a radical idea in today's grind culture. Because society says: if you don't succeed, it's on you. You didn't want it enough. You didn't work hard enough. That belief can be crushing. But naseeb offers a softer, truer alternative: effort matters – but so does grace. Now, living far from the place that raised me – and the place that broke me – I still wrestle with the 'what-ifs.' But I'm learning to live with them. To trust that my journey, full of delays and detours, is not wrong. It's just … unfolding. Khalil Gibran once summed it up very delicately:'Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.' Shadi Khan Saif is a Melbourne-based writer and journalist


The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Toll of Trump's USAID cuts on Australian aid revealed, with projects to help children among hardest hit
The Trump administration's gutting of foreign aid has seen a $400m hit to Australian projects, with 120 projects affected, at least 20 offices closed and people left without crucial support for health, education, humanitarian and climate change issues, the Australian Council for International Development (Acfid) has found. Acfid has surveyed its members and their partners, who deliver projects on the ground, on the impact of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) cuts, which took effect when the president, Donald Trump, froze funding for 90 days from 20 January. By the time the 90 days expired, despite a waiver for humanitarian assistance, 5,200 of the agency's 6,200 programs had been stopped. Those that were left were absorbed into the state department. Workers in Australian programs described 'chaos' and 'total panic' at the time, and warned programs could shut, causing 'unnecessary deaths and suffering'. Some Australian aid projects had direct USAID funding, while others were jointly funded or subsidised through US funding. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'Australian NGOs and their partners have had to reduce operations and staff with dire consequences to local communities that are now no longer receiving essential healthcare, education, food or other assistance,' Acfid's report, released on Monday, says. 'At least 20 partner organisations and/or country offices of Australian NGOs have closed. Some local organisations have also had to close their doors permanently.' The report points out that it collected information during that 90-day period, that it was a time of 'upheaval' and many organisations did not have a clear picture of the impacts. Less than half provided financial data, so the figures 'should be read as a low estimate of impact on the Australian aid agencies and the local partners they work with around the world', the report states. More than 120 projects were hit, with a financial value of more than $400m. The projects were mostly in the Pacific and south-east Asia. Projects to help children, combat climate change and provide humanitarian support were the hardest hit. In Nepal, 307 girls are no longer able to go to school after an education project closed. Without education, girls are at higher risk of child marriage and being trafficked, Acfid says. In Kiribati, almost 2,000 people lost access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices, leading to reduced access to clean water and increased risk of disease. The Acfid policy and advocacy chief, Jessica Mackenzie, said the development sector was only now fully grasping the scale of the fallout. 'We've heard first-hand accounts from people on the ground ranging from communities in the Pacific losing access to clean water, to girls in Nepal deprived of education and fearful they may be forced into marriage,' she said. 'At least $400m in humanitarian and development projects have been directly impacted by the USAID freeze for Australian NGOs. That's millions of people losing access to food, healthcare and education.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The cuts could not have come at a worse time, she said. 'Communities already on the frontline of climate change are losing access to programs that were helping them adapt, prepare and survive.' Acfid says Australia's own foreign aid spending is the lowest it has ever been, at a time when the world needs it most. Other countries including the UK, the Netherlands and Germany have cut their foreign aid, despite the context of growing global conflict and uncertainty. Acfid is calling for the government to increase spending on foreign aid from 0.65% to 1% of the federal budget. Save the Children Australia has made a similar call. Its proposals include spending on climate action, development, and work on gender, disability and social inclusion. In March, Australia moved to plug the funding gaps in the region by directing about $120m in foreign aid to support economic, health, humanitarian and climate responses in the Indo-Pacific. That money came from funding for other programs, which the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, called 'hard strategic decisions'. DFAT has also committed to 2.5% annual increases in aid funding. Wong announced on Friday that another $10m would go to help distribute urgent medical and food supplies in Gaza, taking the total assistance there to $110m since 7 October 2023. On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it would eliminate all USAID overseas positions by 30 September.