A JUNIOR footballer has been suspended for 200 weeks after he allegedly king-hit a 14-year-old in a country grand final.
Three players from Echuca United Football Club were suspended for a total of 244 weeks over a melee during their under 17s grand final against Congupna, the Herald Sun reports
Congupna were thrashing Echuca United when the fight broke out close to the end of the game.
They won 109 to 21 but their grand final celebrations were marred by what Congupna coach Bruce Fuller said was a "pretty disgusting incident.''
Shepparton teenager Jack Brophy's jaw was broken in three places and will require surgery as a result of the hit.
Mr Fuller said Jack had gone to help a teammate caught up in the melee
He said the teenager backed up at the umpires request and was then allegedly king-hit, the impact so severe that his mouthguard flew about 10m.
"He's a totally innocent victim,'' Mr Fuller said.
He branded the incident a blight on the game.
"There were a lot of people in shock,'' he said.
Jack's mother Carmel Brophy said everyone watching was disgusted by the incident.
"I was shocked and I couldn't believe it, it took him a while to get up,'' she said.
"I think it (the penalty) was fair because I don't want it to happen to any other child.''
Mrs Brophy said she had never seen anything like it in junior or senior football.
"Other than that, it was a very clean game, there wasn't a lot of tension before that,'' she said.
"It was just a dreadful thing to happen in a football game.
Mrs Brophy said the incident hadn't put Jack off playing football.
"I don't think anything could put him off playing football, he loves it,'' she said.
The 16-year-old who allegedly hit Jack was suspended for 200 weeks because he failed to appear at the tribunal to answer the charge.
Another player was suspended for 32 weeks for three separate charges while a third player was suspended for 12 weeks on two charges.
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