IT WAS meant to be a showcase of the SANFL product.
A stand alone Saturday match.
The combatants - Sturt and Woodville-West Torrens - locked in a tight race for finals positions.
Just metres from where tents had been erected to house Eagles past players, a melee erupted on the northern hill, sending families and elderly fans scurrying to avoid getting caught in the cross-fire.
The brawl, involving senior Eagles player Leigh Treeby - who was not playing because of injury - as well as fans of both clubs was a nightmare look for the SANFL.
Security staff seemed powerless to intervene as punches flew, capable of inflicting serious injury (none of which had been reported to Local Footy SA at the time of publication).
Various accounts about how the punch-on started were circulating late Sunday but, for the SANFL, the cause is surely irrelevant.
I can't wait to read the spin from the SANFL supporters.
