An AFL star has blown his fuse after new accusations were made against him and another player following a violent fight outside a Sorrento pub.
Richmond’s Dion Prestia swore at the media as he left the club’s community camp in Albury today on the NSW–Victoria border.
The midfielder has been accused of participating in a street brawl alongside Melbourne’s Steven May at the end of last year.
Prestia was filmed in a heated exchange with a 9News reporter.
“What happened in Sorrento?” the reporter asked.
“F— off, you d——-,” Prestia responded as he walked away.
Prestia then laughed as the reporter asked if he was involved in the alleged fight, which left 22-year-old Will Salter with a severely damaged eye socket.
“Mate, there’s kids around, why don’t you go get a life,” Prestia said.
Salter was out with friends at the popular Continental hotel in Sorrento on Boxing Day, where he claims a group of men including Melbourne Demons player Steven May and Prestia were celebrating a buck’s night.
Salter claims the group followed him down Point Nepean Road, where an altercation ensued in the early hours of December 27.
“There were words between my group and the other group for a bit … then I saw Steven May yelling and screaming, ‘come on, let’s go’, and then I saw him punch (my friend) to the face and then it was on,” Salter told 9News.
“Whilst I was on the ground, I was kicked multiple times to the back of the head, and all over, but I couldn’t see who was doing this as I was trying to protect my face.”
Salter was taken to hospital at the time and is now unable to work as an apprentice electrician.
Another man was also hospitalised after suffering seizures and low blood pressure.
9News is not suggesting the allegations against the Richmond and Melbourne players are true, or that they were the people who caused the injury.
There’s no security footage where the alleged brawl took place, which has made it difficult for detectives to get to the bottom of what happened.
But an official report has now been made to Victoria Police and the investigation is under way.
The Melbourne Football Club says it will assist Victoria Police where required.
