The AFL will examine Melbourne star Steven Could’s alcohol-fuelled restaurant battle with teammate Jake Melksham that has embarrassed the reigning premiers.
Key factors:
- Jake Melksham and Steven Could brawled inside and out of doors Prahran restaurant Entrecote on Sunday evening
- Gillon McLachlan mentioned it was a “poor look” for the membership
- Melbourne has misplaced two in a row however mentioned their values have been extra vital than to recall Could for the Queen’s Birthday conflict with Collingwood
Melksham required surgical procedure on an contaminated hand injured within the battle, whereas Could was suspended for the Queen’s Birthday blockbuster in opposition to Collingwood after the pair brawled inside and out of doors Prahran restaurant Entrecote on Sunday evening.
“The AFL confirms it’s trying into the incident between Steven Could and Jake Melksham that transpired on Sunday night,” the AFL mentioned in a press release.
“As skilled footballers, as folks, we count on higher and whereas the membership has taken the matter extraordinarily critically, the AFL is presently conducting its personal investigation.”
The AFL’s choice got here on the identical day chief government Gillon McLachlan condemned the incident.
“It is a poor look,” McLachlan mentioned at a press convention in Hobart.
“Max Gawn, he is embarrassed, it is unacceptable. I feel Max is one in every of our nice leaders and I agree with him.”
Melksham and Could had each been consuming on the dinner with a number of teammates, when what captain Gawn described as “hurtful banter” escalated into the “horrible act” of a bodily battle.
Could obtained a one-match ban from the membership for consuming whereas within the AFL’s concussion protocols and apologised on Tuesday, whereas each he and Melksham are required to finish neighborhood service.
The battle left Gawn “embarrassed” and “flattened” whereas soccer boss Alan Richardson mentioned the Demons have been “deeply embarrassed”.
The Demons have misplaced two on the bounce and will have carried out with the companies of star defender Could, who was concussed within the loss to Fremantle and sidelined within the defeat to Sydney, in opposition to Collingwood.
However Melbourne careworn their membership values got here forward of selecting Could.
On Wednesday, Gawn admitted he was disenchanted the opposite gamers on the restaurant had not stopped Could from consuming however careworn the buck finally stopped with the 30-year-old.
Could had mentioned he and Melksham have been nonetheless associates however Gawn anticipated it to take time for the connection to totally mend.
AAP
