Football Federation Australia will put the inaugural Sydney FC-Western Sydney Wanderers derby in October "on high-security alert" in the wake of a brawl among fans on Tuesday night that saw a man knocked unconscious and a six-year-old struck in the head by a rock, according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. Australian football "was counting the cost of a night of shame after as many as 20 fans became embroiled in a brawl" during Sydney FC's preseason trial against Macarthur Rams at Campbelltown Stadium. Detectives investigating the brawl "are hopeful of laying charges" after spending most of Wednesday reviewing CCTV surveillance of the incident. Some reporters said that Wanderers' fan group Red and Black Bloc "were responsible for the drama after a number of posts were put up on a fan forum several days before inciting fans to go to the game." However, Wanderers Exec Chair Lyall Gorman distanced the club from the actions of the hooligans, claiming they were not part of the fan group. The incident is "likely to force FFA to beef up security" for the first derby between the sides at Parramatta Stadium on Oct. 20 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/16).
