Melbourne boss Dave Donaghy has called for better security at NRL grounds and wants a Manly fan banned for life after lashing out at Will Chambers.
Chambers was leaving the field at Lottoland after being sin-binned when he was involved in an incident with the fan, who was wearing a Manly jersey.
Footage shows the Storm centre stop briefly, as the man flung him arm through the fence and into the tunnel.
No contact was made but Chambers was left shocked by the incident.
Police took the fan from the ground in handcuffs. It’s believed he has since been released without charge.
But Donaghy has warned the situation needs to be a lesson, warning it might be far worse in the future.
“God forbid if a person has something more than a mobile phone in their hand,” Donaghy told AAP.
“Hopefully, it’s a lesson the whole industry can learn from. As we head into the finals, we can tighten up some processes.
“As a game and industry, we need to make sure wherever we are, players’ health and wellbeing and safety is first and foremost.
“What happened tonight was unacceptable. The person involved should be receiving a life ban for trying to attack a player.”
Donaghy praised Manly’s efforts in handling the situation, after coach Des Hasler apologised to Chambers and the Storm over the incident.
But he said more needed to be done to protect players at suburban grounds.
The Brookvale tunnel operates with a sliding fence to separate players from the crowd when they walk to and from the sheds.
It is otherwise part of a walkway for fans.
“I’m sure, logistically and practically, it’s challenging. It’s a wonderful ground with a lot of nostalgia attached to it,” Donaghy said.
“If we want to keep playing these games at suburban grounds, we need to make sure governments at all levels are investing in them to keep them up to a certain standard.
“That includes providing facilities where players’ wellbeing is at the forefront.”
Hasler criticised the fan after the match.
“Thankfully, no harm came to it, nor should it have,” Hasler said.
“He didn’t make contact with Will. All I can do at this point is offer our apologies and certainly it’s not needed in sport. It’s certainly not condoned.”
Chambers had been sin-binned for a high tackle on Manly’s Jack Gosiewski, before a melee broke out.
“I know Des has apologised. He don’t need to apologise,” Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said.
“We don’t need that behaviour from our crowds. I think Manly have done everything, security-wise. We don’t want it to happen.
“At the end of the day, it’s someone in the crowd who has made a decision not good for our game.”