"CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has not ruled out sacking Setanta O’hAilpin after he attacked one of his teammates today. O’hAilpin could face the AFL tribunal after Carlton’s intra-club match descended into violence today.
The match at Visy Park erupted sensationally just after 11am when O’hAilpin punched and then kicked teammate Cameron Cloke.
Coach Ratten refused to rule out the possibility of the club tearing up the Irishman’s contract following the incidentRatten described the kick as “a poor act”, and said while players often scuffle between themselves in pre-season matches, kicking was another thing altogether.
"Reflecting on what has happened it’s not part of our game,’’ said Ratten.
“We’ll sit down with Setanta and work through that.”
"I think in practice matches, you go through history and training in general, there’s all the argy-bargy and … things like that.
"But that is not part of our game.
‘’(Setanta) has gone home and we’ll give him time to cool off and have a think about his actions and we’ll take it up this afternoon.’’
When asked whether the incident could prompt Carlton to sack O’hAilpin, Ratten replied: "We’ll have to sit down and talk about all the issues.’’
Although the match was an intra-club encounter, under AFL rules, O’hAilpin can be suspended by the tribunal.
Just after 12pm, the officiating umpires lodged a notice of investigation, which means the match review panel will scrutinise O’hAilpin’s actions on Monday morning.
The players were scuffling late in the third quarter when the notoriously temperamental O’hAilpin cut loose.
First he threw a left-handed roundhouse at Cloke, dropping him, and then struck out with his right boot.
The match was held up for 15 minutes as both players were taken from the field, with Cloke being examined by the club’s medical staff.
O’hAilpin was sent off the ground by club leader Brendan Fevola, with captain Chris Judd then advising him to return home to cool his heels.
Neither player returned to the action and the game was stopped at the end of the third quarter.
Cloke left the ground afterwards without comment, having suffered a cut eye in the incident.
The incident compounded an already disappointing intra-club match with best and fairest-winning midfielder Andrew Carrazzo leaving the ground with what is believed to be a serious left-arm injury.
O’hAilpin has been known to tangle with his teammates at training but kicking a player, especially a teammate, is seen as one of football’s lowest acts.
Cloke left the ground shaken and was assessed by doctors for what seemed a bruise on his right eyebrow and took no part in the game.
Surrounded by media post-match, he would say only that he was fine and was unwilling to discuss the issue.
This disrupts what was shaping as a perfect preseason for Carlton with captain Chris Judd in perfect condition and Brendan Fevola earlier kicking a goal in a solid performan
