By MATT JANSON
May 5 2003

Monday, the game makes front page news on a few newspapers across the country for all the wrong reasons. It's the talking point of the day in Melbourne, and all for a few minutes of mayhem. Not surprisingly, the AFL have not concluded their investigation into the all in at quarter time of Yesterday's match between the Bulldogs and the Saints. It seems as if it will be a long night for umpires Stephen McBurney, Mark Fussell and Justin Schmitt as well as emergency umpire Matthew James.

At the time of this report, only one official charge related to the incident has been laid. Not surprisingly Ryan Hargrave's blow to the jaw of saints player Heath Black has not gone unoticed and was reported on at the ground. The official site of the AFL, afl.com.au, suggests that Hargrave is going to enter a guilty plea. Of course, it seems that he is as likely to get off the charge as Saddam Hussain is to be alive at the moment.

Amongst other moments being investigated:

(a) Heath Black, before Hargrave walloped him, apparantly sparked the brawl by going after Brad Johnson.

(b) Aaron Hamill, captain of St.Kilda and not one to take a backward step on the field, is being investigated for a possible clash with Bulldog Runner Jose Romero.

(c) Then there's the small matter of the trainers going at it hammer and tongs. Maybe that will be left to the clubs to decide a suitable punishment.

(d) And of course, the many thousands of dollars that the AFL is expected to get in fines as a result of the melee.

In an unrelated incident, key ruckman Luke Darcy was also pinged for clashing with an umpire and will be up before the tribunal Tomorrow night.