An AFL fan has been slapped with a five-year ban from all AFL and AFLW games after hurling a lemon at West Coast player Reuben Ginbey following the Eagles' victory over Essendon in Round 12. The bizarre incident, which occurred after the final siren, has left the football community in shock.
Fan Banned for Lemon-Throwing Incident
Channel 7's Tom Morris broke the news on The Agenda Setters, revealing that the fan is not a member of the AFL, Essendon, or West Coast. In a strange twist, social media footage captured shortly after the incident suggested the fan may have been carrying a second lemon, potentially ready to throw again.
Second Lemon Ready to Go
“He was ready to go again. What are people thinking? What is going on? Who brings lemons to a game of footy and who throws that lemon? Isn’t it bizarre?” Morris commented on The Agenda Setters. St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt joked, “A second shooter, JFK style. Two lemons.” He added, “People are strange.”
Ginbey Unfazed but Shocked
Ginbey remained typically unfazed by the incident but admitted to being taken aback. “It didn’t hurt or anything, but it’s just a shock,” he said days after the game. “Like I felt something hit me and it was a lemon. I rolled it back to the crowd. It was lucky it didn’t hit me on the head or on the eye. It didn’t bother me personally, but we don’t want things being thrown by the crowd, especially hard things like lemons.”
Consistent Penalties for Object Throwing
The five-year ban aligns with penalties for similar offenses. Earlier this year, a Sydney Swans supporter received the same ban for throwing a bottle at Hawthorn players after Round 2. AFL head of security and integrity Tony Keane stated, “Footy fans are the best fans in the world, but throwing objects at players will never be acceptable and if caught, you will lose the privilege of being able to attend the footy for a period of time.”
