- Marlion Pickett makes obscene gesture towards Geelong fans
- Tigers star says crowd was abusing him at the time
- Pickett was charged with serious criminal offenses in 2023
AFL premiership player Marlion Pickett is in hot water with the AFL after he made an obscene gesture towards Geelong fans at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.
Geelong survived a scare against the plucky Tigers at home to claim a 30-point victory and snap their worst losing streak in 18 years.
Richmond star Pickett, 32, was caught on television cameras giving the middle finger to Geelong fans as he limped off the field during the match.
After full time, he defended his actions by saying that the crowd was abusing him.
Marlion Pickett is in hot water with the AFL after he made a rude gesture towards Geelong fans at GMHBA Stadium over the weekend.
“As players, we take a lot of things off the fence,” he said afterward.
‘Every week there are disrespectful (things).’
Meanwhile, police have yet to provide critical evidence to Pickett’s lawyer after charging him with an alleged robbery in 2023.
Pickett was arrested in June last year and police alleged he was involved in a series of commercial robberies in Perth over the 2022 Christmas period.
The robberies allegedly involved the theft of more than $350,000 and included the looting of safes at currency exchange businesses.
Pickett is also accused of being part of a scheme to transport the money across the country in a caravan.
The case was adjourned by consent for the seventh time at Perth Magistrates Court last week when Pickett’s defense lawyer said police had failed to hand over mobile phone triangulation data and bank records.
Magistrate Janelle Scutt granted an adjournment until June 26.
Pickett’s co-accused Kurtley Thorne, 30, pleaded guilty to a string of charges at Perth Magistrates Court last year.
The Richmond premiership player (pictured outside court) is accused of taking part in a string of robberies after his arrest last year.
Police allege Pickett (pictured playing against Geelong last Sunday) was involved in a series of robberies in which more than $350,000 was stolen.
Pickett previously spoke about his past run-ins with the law and time spent in prison in Western Australia, saying it was a wake-up call.
He was released from prison, aged 21, in 2013 and then began playing for South Fremantle Football Club.
Pickett made his AFL debut in Richmond’s 2019 premiership victory, just months after being selected by the Tigers in the mid-season draft.
It made Pickett the first VFL/AFL player in 67 years to debut in a grand final and the first since 1926 to win a flag.
He won a second premiership with the Tigers in 2020.