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THE Ovens and Murray Football-Netball League will consider banning spectators from being on the ground in future preliminary finals after tempers boiled over at three-quarter-time on Sunday.
Tensions between Yarrawonga and Lavington players and spectators rose dramatically as the two teams broke for the last change at Albury Sportsground.
The O and M has a ban on spectators being on the ground from half-time of the reserves match on grand final day.
League general manager Aaron McGlynn said last night similar restrictions on preliminary final day would be discussed after the finals series.
In the absence of security staff and police, Pigeons president Glenn Brear played a leading role in trying to separate spectators and players from the two clubs as the situation threatened to explode with children looking on.
“It’s good to have people on the ground supporting their clubs,” he said.
“Its a big part of what country footy is about.
“But the two huddles need to be a further distance apart and some commonsense shown by all parties.
“It’s my belief they should go to opposite ends of the centre square when there is a really big crowd.”
At the height of the dramas, field umpire Glenn Peachey spoke to Pigeons star Brendan Fevola and at one stage appeared to reach for a yellow card from his pocket.
No reports were laid on the day.
A crowd of more than 3300 people attended the preliminary final and an estimated 1500 people were on the ground at three-quarter-time.
The O and M banned spectators from the playing arena on grand final day in the mid-1990s.
Mr McGlynn said he didn’t see the incident due to performing other duties during the break.
But he said the potential blow-up had been a major talking point following the game.
“I can’t really comment because I am not 100 per cent sure what happened,” he said.
“It’s something we will need to consider in the future especially with those bigger crowd games.
“On grand final day we spend $5000 on police and another $8000 on security.”
Mr McGlynn said there had been no requests to view video footage of the incident.
Yarrawonga came from nearly six goals down to beat Lavington by one point in Sunday’s match.