On 24 July 2014 AFL Cairns (“the league”) sent an email to the president of Manunda Hawks Australian Football Club (“the club’) that said amongst other things

“we have heard on the grapevine that there are some unnamed individuals looking to square up with your player Boxall when he returns to Port for round 17. We are taking the allegations seriously…We will speak to Pt D police re our concerns and PtDFC  are considering security guards on the day.… It is the league’s responsibility to preserve the safety and integrity of individuals…”

The league proposed that the MHAFC, the Port Douglas football club and the league pay the costs of 2 police and 4 security guards and that there be other special arrangements to attempt to ensure security.

The club had been advised by the league that its players were at risk if they played at Port Douglas on 2 August 2014. The information the club had, came from the league rather than other sources and the league made it plain on numerous occasions that it took the threats seriously.

On 31 July 2014 the club informed its players of the information provided to it by the league up to then about the possible risk to the players if they played the next round as scheduled for the Saturday night. The players then indicated by a secret ballot whether or not they would be prepared to play in the fixtures set for 2 August 2014. An insufficient number of players were prepared to play to allow the club to field teams for the 2 fixtures on 2 August 2014.

The club had no power to compel their players to play if they did not wish to do so. The board of the club had no information or material available to it to support arguments to its players that the threats made against their security should be ignored.

The decision to abandon the game was made by a majority of players who did not wish to take the risk. The potential seriousness of that risk ought not to be ignored. There is nowhere to hide on a football field and no amount of police or security guards standing on the sidelines can protect players from harm. There was also the real risk of harm off the playing arena. The potential seriousness of the risks of on field violence are unfortunately well known to the club members and officials because of  the relatively recent experience of one of their players who was the victim of a cowardly punch in an underage game a few years back. He was left with a permanent hearing loss and a large bill for medical expenses as a result of the attack.

On 3 September 2014 AFL Cairns announced a landmark decision to suspend the Manunda Hawks senior and reserve grade sides from the 2015 AFL Cairns competition. Although many expected the club to be sanctioned to some degree, no-one expected this outcome.

The Manunda Hawks Australian Football Club acted to protect its members from the threat of serious violence.

Please help to show AFL Cairns board that this decision must be overturned immediately.

Read the full submission to AFL Cairns here -http://www.manundahawksafc.com.au/themes/marinelli/documents/Hawks_Submission_13_August.pdf