A former Hawthorn and Melbourne Storm footballer has been arrested for allegedly cowardly beating a Hawks player after a game.
Shem Tatupu is accused of attacking Hawthorn’s Justin Raiti just past full-time in the clash between the Hawks and Elsternwick at Melbourne’s Waverley Oval on Saturday afternoon.
According to the information, up to 30 football fans held Tatupu on the ground until the police arrived Seven news.
Tatupu – who last played for Hawthorn in 2015 before being signed by Storm NRL team in 2016 – is said to have beaten Raiti as the latter left the pitch with his team-mates after winning the Victorian Amateur Football Association game.
Shem Tatupu (pictured with Hawthorn in 2016) is accused of assaulting Justin Raiti just after full-time at a soccer game in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon
Raiti (centre picture) was examined by paramedics after the alleged beating
Raiti was examined by paramedics and relieved of serious injuries.
“Police arrested and detained a 27-year-old Keysborough man and questioned him for assault.” “He has been released pending further investigation,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
A spokesman for the Elsternwick club said none of the players or members of the team were involved in the alleged incident.
“From our point of view, our player is above all doing well,” said Hawthorn President Sam Waldron dem Herald Sun.
The Victorian Amateur Football Association released a statement on the alleged attack: “The player was examined at the scene by paramedics and was allowed to be taken home.” As this is now a police investigation, VAFA will have no further comment at this time .’
Tatupu (pictured right, in action for Hawthorn in 2015) made headlines when he left the AFL and tried to make it with the Melbourne Storm in 2016
Tatupu is the son of New Zealand Warriors founding player Tony Tatupu.
He played rugby league and union as a youngster before turning to the Aussie Rules after playing in a junior AFL tournament in Auckland in 2009.
Tatupu made 22 VFL appearances for Hawthorn after being signed as an international development player, but left the club in March 2016 to pursue a career in the NRL.
He was signed by the Storm later that month, a move that made headlines as it was rare for an NRL side to attempt to sign an Aussie Rules player for the code.
“We had a vision for him to play top school rugby in New Zealand but when we made that decision the character, background and attitude convinced us,” Storm director of football Frank Ponissi said at the time.
“Craig [Bellamy, head coach] and I met him a couple of times, his attitude was right, his desire to come here was clear and he didn’t need much convincing.”
