‘Should be banned for life’: Shocking crowd scenes as fan blasted for ‘dangerous’ actCatherine Healey
Fox Sports
August 4th, 2023 10:29 pmThe AFL should move to ban the fan who reached out and repeatedly touched Tiger Marlion Pickett at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis believes.
Pickett had been beaten in a one-on-one making contest with Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli and overcommitted.
As Bontempelli ran into the open goal, Pickett was left getting to his feet over the boundary line.
With his back to the crowd, a rogue fan reached out and patted Pickett repeatedly on the shoulder and then started gesturing to the Tiger as he turned around.
A security guard, who was seated just a metre away, quickly got to his feet to step in between the fan and Pickett.
The Tigers premiership hero could be seen swiping at the man’s hand as he returned to his seat.
Lewis described the whole ordeal, which unfolded late in the third term, as unacceptable.
“You never ever, ever, ever touch a player on the ground – I don’t care who you are,” he said.
“That fan right there should be banned for life.”
Fellow Fox Footy commentator Jonathan Brown agreed it was an unacceptable situation for Pickett to be placed in, and praised his ability to walk away from the confrontation.
“(The fan) should be kicked out,” he said.
“We don’t want to ever see that in a game.
“It’s such a dangerous situation.
“Marlion Pickett should be congratulated for keeping under control.
“He could have quite easy gone bang! and put one on his chin.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/should-be-banned-for-life-shocking-crowd-scenes-as-fan-blasted-for-dangerous-act/news-story/05b08e078595e1e08ffa203ea64c09c7