Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has again condemned poor fan behaviour after a cardboard clapper was thrown at defender Aliir Aliir in his side’s win over Sydney.
Aliir had taken a mark on the goal line in the final quarter at the SCG before a Swans fan appeared to throw the object at him.
Former Sydney player Aliir then called out the spectator at the boundary fence before returning to the match, which the Power won by eight points.
The fan was subsequently interviewed by police and SCG staff, and was removed from the stadium.
Later, a man identifying himself as ‘Jack’ and claiming to be the fan’s grandfather, who he described as a 13-year old boy, phoned into radio station 3AW and said he and the family were ‘distraught’ at what had happened.
“What I’m really getting upset about is this garbage that’s being put on social media,” he said.
“Let me just put forward one thing: there’s no way he was racist, because he’s got Aboriginal blood, and there’s no way he would have been racist. I want that clarified straightaway.
“He did a stupid thing. His mother’s distraught, his grandmother’s distraught, I’m distraught… it really is an embarrassment, and I just don’t know what he was thinking.
“It was bloody stupid – the kid should have thought more about it.
“Social media can kill kids, and I’m really concerned.”
The man also claimed that the fan was ‘in a police cell with police… discussing it with him’.
“It’s not fair – he’s a stupid kid, he doesn’t realise what he’s done,” he said.
“I’m just worried about his future.”
Sunday’s incident comes after star Port forward Willie Rioli endured online racial abuse following their upset win over Hawthorn in round five.
Rioli had shut down his social media accounts and took leave from the club after a now-deleted Instagram post regarding his family history with Hawthorn.
Hinkley confirmed Aliir was “OK” in the aftermath, while Sydney chief executive Tom Harley spoke to the player after the final siren.
“I don’t know exactly what happened there, so I don’t really want to comment on that,” Hinkley said.
“As far as I know, there was something that went on.
“I think Aliir was OK with everything, so we’ll work through it.
“Let’s respect our footballers. That’s the most important thing.
“We’ve had a little bit of a stuff go on over the journey, last few weeks particularly, and I think let them (players) do what they do.
“You come to watch them. Just admire them for what they are, I would have thought, and enjoy the game.
“If you can’t do that, please don’t come.”
Sydney counterpart Dean Cox echoed Hinkley’s sentiments.
“Anything (abusive) from fans, members, supporters to players or anyone involved in footy – we don’t condone,” Cox said.
“That’s one thing that I stand firm on and so do the club.”
Sydney, who have yet to ascertain if the fan is a member, reiterated in a club statement after the match their “zero-tolerance stance on all forms of abuse”.
“A fan was removed from the stadium in the final quarter of Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at the SCG, after throwing an object at Port Adelaide player Aliir Aliir,” the statement reads.
“The fan was removed from the venue and has been interviewed by police and SCG staff.
“The club is working to ascertain if the fan is a member.
“The club has reached out to Aliir, and we will continue to educate fans that any form of abusive behaviour is not welcome.
“The Sydney Swans would like to reiterate our zero-tolerance stance on all forms of abuse.”
