millersnose
Post Whore
- Messages
- 65,223
Illawarra Mercury
FIGHT CLUB: Disgrace as Dragons fans turn on each other
By PAUL SUTTOR
August 19, 2003
TWO spectators - both believed to be Dragons fans - will face several charges including assaulting police and resisting arrest, after they were allegedly involved in brawling during Saturday's loss to the Sharks at Toyota Park.
Two wild melees erupted on the ground's northern hill around full-time of Cronulla's 25-16 victory over St George Illawarra.
While trying to restore order, five police officers were injured, suffering bruising as a result of kicks and punches to the head, according to a Miranda police spokesperson, who described the misconduct as the worst recorded crowd violence at the venue.
Two men will appear in Sutherland Local Court next month to answer a combined total of six charges, including offensive conduct.
Police and ground officials said Dragons fans fought each other in the two brawls.
advertisement
It is believed the violence was a result of a section of Dragons fans engaging in a mock chant of "Steelers, Steelers" when their team fell behind on the scoreboard.
A small nearby group of St George Illawarra supporters took umbrage at the insinuation that the joint-venture Dragons were branded the Steelers when they lost, but St George when they won.
The area where the trouble took place is a "family section" where alcohol is banned.
A venue official from the Cronulla club was disgusted by the crowd violence and said the Sharks hoped it would be a one-off event.
"We couldn't work it out - they all had red and white on. Naturally, we presumed it would be (fans from) opposition teams," the Cronulla spokesperson said.
"It's no consolation to us that it was Dragons people fighting Dragons people, the thing is that they did it here. That's unfortunate for everyone because normally we don't have that."
Dragons chief executive Peter Doust did not want to comment on the allegations.
FIGHT CLUB: Disgrace as Dragons fans turn on each other
By PAUL SUTTOR
August 19, 2003
TWO spectators - both believed to be Dragons fans - will face several charges including assaulting police and resisting arrest, after they were allegedly involved in brawling during Saturday's loss to the Sharks at Toyota Park.
Two wild melees erupted on the ground's northern hill around full-time of Cronulla's 25-16 victory over St George Illawarra.
While trying to restore order, five police officers were injured, suffering bruising as a result of kicks and punches to the head, according to a Miranda police spokesperson, who described the misconduct as the worst recorded crowd violence at the venue.
Two men will appear in Sutherland Local Court next month to answer a combined total of six charges, including offensive conduct.
Police and ground officials said Dragons fans fought each other in the two brawls.
advertisement
It is believed the violence was a result of a section of Dragons fans engaging in a mock chant of "Steelers, Steelers" when their team fell behind on the scoreboard.
A small nearby group of St George Illawarra supporters took umbrage at the insinuation that the joint-venture Dragons were branded the Steelers when they lost, but St George when they won.
The area where the trouble took place is a "family section" where alcohol is banned.
A venue official from the Cronulla club was disgusted by the crowd violence and said the Sharks hoped it would be a one-off event.
"We couldn't work it out - they all had red and white on. Naturally, we presumed it would be (fans from) opposition teams," the Cronulla spokesperson said.
"It's no consolation to us that it was Dragons people fighting Dragons people, the thing is that they did it here. That's unfortunate for everyone because normally we don't have that."
Dragons chief executive Peter Doust did not want to comment on the allegations.
