Coke-bottle thrower faces football ban as police called to help AFL find offender

Police are helping the AFL and Melbourne Cricket Club hunt for the football fan who threw a Coke bottle at Hawthorn players on the MCG on Thursday night as they celebrated their win over Sydney.

If found, the offender is likely to be banned from attending AFL matches.

The half-filled soft drink missile was lobbed onto the field as Hawks livewire Nick Watson remonstrated with the Swans cheer squad after kicking a post-siren goal from point-blank range to stretch his team’s winning margin to 17 points.

“A patron threw a soft drink bottle at the final siren towards Hawthorn players. The alleged offender was not from the Swans cheer squad and his identity is currently unknown,” the AFL said on Friday afternoon.

“We have the best fans in the world, but throwing objects at players will never be acceptable and if caught you will lose the privilege of being able to attend the footy.

“Victoria Police will now investigate the matter with assistance from the MCG, which will provide all relevant information.”

Watson brought attention to the incident in a radio interview on Friday morning when he accused Sydney supporters of throwing the bottle.

Watson’s goal put the finishing touch on the Hawks’ hard-fought 14.15 (99) to 13.4 (82) win on Thursday night.

He was then involved in an animated exchange with fans in the section of the ground occupied by the Swans’ cheer squad.

“They were throwing Coke Zero cans out there ... I saw one just go straight past me,” Watson told Nova on Friday.

“I dunno what happened with the guy but ... it just landed right next to us.

“Lucky it didn’t hit any players, but yeah, a few players saw it.

“I mean, I was giving them heaps, but I’m not sure a Coke Zero bottle to the face in return would’ve been nice.”

A cult hero for Hawks supporters as well as one of the league’s renowned agitators, Watson regularly engages with fans on the other side of the fence.

“It’s good for the game. I feel like people like it,” he said.

“Sometimes in a close game like that it’s a bit of fun.”

In another incident from late in Thursday night’s game, Sydney’s Tom McCartin was fined $1500 for staging.

AFL match review officer Michael Christian issued the fine on Friday after McCartin fell to the ground after being pushed in the chest by Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol. McCartin, who appeared to accentuate the impact of the push, can get the penalty reduced to $1000 by entering an early plea of guilt.

Watson shook off heavy knocks of his own – to his hip and head in the third quarter – to play a key role as Hawthorn overran Sydney with 5.5 to 1.1 in the final term.

Both sides are among the 10 teams facing an early-season bye after featuring in opening round this month.

The Hawks have an 18-day break before their next outing, in the traditional Easter Monday clash with Geelong.

“We’ll not say it’s a disadvantage because we don’t want to have that mentality,” Watson said.

“But people can lose momentum, which is annoying. It’s so weird having a bye this early.

“I liked it [Opening Round] because we played in it, but I’m not fussed if it goes out of the game either.”

AAP with Danny Russell

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