Western Bulldogs defender Michael Sellwood has called for a Hawthorn supporter to be kicked out of AFL matches after a heated confrontation erupted moments after Friday night’s thrilling comeback win at the MCG.
The Bulldogs fought back from 29 points down to stun the Hawks 12.5 (77) to 9.17 (71), but the celebrations were briefly overshadowed when Sellwood exchanged words with a spectator as players left the field.
Television footage showed the 22-year-old doubling back towards the boundary fence and pointing out a supporter after hearing a comment he found unacceptable.
Asked about the incident during a post-match interview, Sellwood made it clear he was unimpressed.
‘Yeah. I’m not going to repeat what he said,’ he told Channel Seven.
‘I wasn’t happy with it. But he cowered a bit pretty quickly.
Michael Sellwood points out the Hawthorn supporter after the Bulldogs’ dramatic comeback win at the MCG
Sellwood played through an ankle injury during a fiery battle with Hawthorn’s Nick Watson
‘(It was) ‘weak something’, yeah. I pointed him out and he cowered a bit, which was quite funny. Hopefully he gets kicked out or something.’
Despite the confrontation, Sellwood insisted the incident had little impact on his enjoyment of the victory.
‘I don’t really care, to be honest. You’re always going to get that in footy,’ he said.
‘I’m sure everyone would know that especially when you give it, you’ve got to be able to take it.’
The exchange capped a fiery night for Sellwood, who spent much of the match locked in a tense battle with Hawthorn livewire Nick Watson.
The pair repeatedly clashed throughout the contest and tensions boiled over after the quarter-time siren, with players from both sides becoming involved in an all-in melee.
Sellwood celebrates after the Bulldogs overturned a 29-point deficit to defeat Hawthorn
The Bulldogs defender called for the supporter to be kicked out after the heated exchange
Watson appeared to have the upper hand early, booting three first-half goals while Sellwood briefly left the ground to have a rolled ankle assessed.
Speaking at halftime, the Hawks forward delivered a pointed message to his opponent.
‘He’s giving me a bit,’ Watson told Kayo Sports.
‘I don’t care if he talks, as long as he walks the walk. I’d love to see it in the second half.’
Sellwood responded emphatically.
After halftime he went straight to Watson and helped restrict the Hawks forward to just two disposals for the remainder of the match as the Bulldogs stormed back into the contest.
His effort drew praise from coach Luke Beveridge.
‘He showed enormous courage and played through pain, and in the end he got a pretty important scalp,’ Beveridge said.
The result snapped the Bulldogs’ five-match losing streak against Hawthorn and lifted them to an 8-5 record, moving them into fifth place on the ladder.
‘We did come here tonight knowing that we have significantly lowered our colours against the Hawks the last couple of years,’ Beveridge said.
‘That eats at you, no matter who you play.
‘Usually when we come up against them we believe that we can win, so when they continually get the four points, their application maybe in some aspects has been a bit higher.
‘And it was at the start of this game, but we were able to tilt it in our favour just through will and determination.’
Many fans were quick to praise Sellwood’s performance after the match.
‘Bevo talking up Sellwood after hanging off Nick Watson like a tax bill, fair enough – the kid had more courage than half the comp on a wet Friday night,’ one supporter posted.
Another said: ‘Sellwood playing on Watson through the pain and still pinching the scalp is proper footy stuff – Beveridge would’ve had him on ice if he was a bit more cooked.’
A third fan added: ‘Playing on Nick Watson through pain is one thing, keeping the kid quiet is another. Sellwood earned his beer there, because Watson’s usually the one doing the robbing.’
