Collingwood star Brayden Maynard’s close friend, who invaded the field during the Magpies’ win at the weekend, has been banned for life from the AFL.
Conor Clarke, who is also the brother of Western Bulldogs player Charlie Clarke, ran onto the field during the Pies’ comeback win over North Melbourne on Saturday.
Security caught him at Marvel Stadium on Sunday. Now he will not be able to see his brother or his close friend play live again.
He The incident took place at Marvel Stadium. during Sunday’s thrilling clash where Collingwood staged a remarkable comeback to win 18.11 (119) to 19.4 (118) after trailing by 54 points at the start of the third quarter.
Images revealed the pitch invader was the brother of Western Bulldogs AFL player Charlie Clarke, and was also seen in a group photo with Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard after the match.
Eagle-eyed football fans noticed grass stains on the invader’s left knee in the photo. He was also wearing the same clothes from the incident, while fans were also able to match the revealing tattoos of him on his left arm.
In an interview with 7NEWS, Clarke said he ran onto the field “just for a laugh.” However, the AFL didn’t find him funny and on Tuesday he was banned for life from AFL/AFLW matches. This ban may be reviewed in five years, on June 18, 2029.
Security knocks down pitch invader during tense match between North Melbourne and Collingwood
The field invader, second from left, posed for a photo with Maynard after the Marvel Stadium game who still had stains on the leg of his jeans.
Channel 7 football reporter Tom Morris posted about the incident on social media platform CollingwoodFC and is looking into it.”
“Maximum fine is $11,000 + league can ban sponsor, who is brother of Dogs player Charlie Clarke and friend of Brayden Maynard.”
The AFL is yet to officially comment, but previous statements highlight its stance on field invasions.
“Running to the ground during a match is not only pointless, it is unsafe and illegal,” AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said in April.
“If you choose to do so, you will not only receive a significant fine, you will have to deal with local authorities and will ultimately lose the privilege of attending AFL matches.”
This incident follows several similar events this year. In Round 2, a fan invaded the field during the Crows versus Geelong game at Adelaide Oval, resulting in a lifetime ban from attending AFL and AFLW matches.
Additionally, MCG security detained two more pitch invaders during the Easter Monday match between Geelong and Hawthorn in April.
After the game, Maynard paid tribute to a “good teammate” who had recently passed away, following his team’s moving victory.
Maynard takes time to hug his family before his 200th game at Marvel Stadium
The Collingwood star celebrates with fans after the tense victory against the Kangaroos.
Maynard, playing in his 200th game, expressed his feelings during a post-match interview on Fox Footy.
“I’m really speechless,” the 27-year-old began.
‘It probably wasn’t our day; They brought the pressure, they brought the heat, they had most of the game on their terms. Being able to fight back Collingwood style, very proud of the boys.”
He acknowledged the importance of their important match, but praised the team’s effort in coming home strong and achieving an exciting victory.
‘Yes, it was a milestone for me, but it is a team performance. Team first mentality. What a good win, I’ll enjoy a beer tonight that’s for sure.”
Maynard, wearing a black bracelet, shared the heartbreaking news about his friend.
‘I absolutely love this club, I love these guys. I’m getting a little emotional because it’s been a big couple of weeks for me. A good friend of mine passed away due to mental health issues.
He offered his condolences to his friend’s family.
‘So Deb, Amy and Bomber, if you’re watching this, my heart goes out to you and your entire family. “Lots of love from the Collingwood family and the entire AFL community, we send you all our love and endless amounts of hugs every day.”
