OFFICERS MUST GO

Gill gives behavioural awareness patrols the flick

THE AFL’s contentious behavioural awareness officers are facing the axe after league boss Gillon McLachlan conceded they had increased supporter angst.

The officers were seen patrolling the crowd during the Round 13 match between Essendon and Hawthorn, amid a reported crackdown on fan behaviour.

McLachlan said behavioural awareness officers were “not right and they should go”, but reaffirmed there had been no increased focused on spectators.

“That is a look that actually has a challenge for supporters and I accept that,” McLachlan said. “What we have to do is have conversations with our venues, the police and their security teams to work out how we can modify that to make sure people don’t feel threatened.”

Their presence at games has strained the relationship between fans and the AFL.

Of more than 9000 respondents to a Melbourne footy fan survey, 69 per cent said crowd violence was not a problem at matches and 85 per cent said they had never felt unsafe at the football.

McLachlan the league had a “dual responsibility” to ensure fan safety while embracing an environment where supporters can express themselves. He said security management was left to venues and “there has been no edict” to crack down on crowd behaviour.

“There are parts of our supporter base that don’t feel that they actually enjoy themselves in the same way and we are listening to that,” he said.

It comes after police were forced to break up a brawl between rival fans after Saturday’s Carlton-Western Bulldogs match. Carlton fan Frankie was ejected from the club’s Round 12 match against Brisbane Lions after calling umpire Mathew Nicholls “a bald-headed flog”.

“I want people to come along this weekend knowing that we are listening,” McLachlan said.

“If there’s been an overcorrection by security it has been dealt with, because it is the people’s game.

“As I said [on Monday night], it appals me to think that people can’t come and be themselves.”