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Brisbane Roar are weighing legal options following a combustible New Year’s Eve A-League Men match against Central Coast Mariners, after interim Mariners coach Warren Moon publicly criticised the conduct of Brisbane’s staff and referenced police involvement at half-time.
The controversy followed Brisbane’s dramatic 2-1 victory in Gosford, sealed by Justin Vidic’s 92nd-minute header, but it was the flashpoint moments earlier in the night that dominated post-match discussion.
Roar coach Michael Valkanis was dismissed late in the first half after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession. His first booking came for behaviour on the sidelines, before ironic applause directed at referee Alex King earned him a second and resulted in a red card during stoppage time.
Tensions escalated further at the interval, with players and staff from both teams involved in a heated exchange in the tunnel. Speaking immediately after the match, Moon condemned what he said he witnessed, describing the scenes as unacceptable.
“I’m just going to be honest and say what I witnessed tonight was a disgrace,” Moon said. “That was an embarrassment tonight, what happened before half-time and then half-time in the tunnel."
“I’m sure it will come out. Police was called."
Brisbane Roar responded forcefully on Thursday, rejecting Moon’s claims and disputing the suggestion that police intervention was required. In a strongly worded statement, the club accused the Mariners coach of making unfounded allegations that damaged its reputation.
“Brisbane Roar Football Club is aware of comments made by the Central Coast Mariners’ interim head coach following last night’s match which publicly insinuated serious misconduct by the club and its staff,” the statement read.
“Those comments were inappropriate, irresponsible, and unsupported by any facts."
“At no time did Brisbane Roar Football Club, its officials, or its coaching staff engage in conduct that brought the game into disrepute. Any suggestion otherwise is categorically rejected."
“The public reference to police involvement was also misleading. Police were already present at the venue as part of routine match day operations, and no conduct by Brisbane Roar Football Club or its personnel required police intervention."
“Given the seriousness of the insinuations made and the reputational harm caused to the club, Brisbane Roar Football Club is seeking legal advice in relation to the comments.”
Football Australia confirmed the incident would be reviewed by its Match Review Panel as part of its standard post-round process, with Australian Professional Leagues saying it would support the review.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / Chris Andrawes, Unsplash / Harlan Ashworth
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