AFL fan who was booted from a game after calling an umpire a 'bald-headed flog' hires top law firm to clear his name
- Footy fan dubbed 'Flog Man' has hired a top law firm to take on the AFL
- The man, named Frankie, was evicted after calling an umpire a 'bald-headed flog'
- He was removed from the match and may receive further punishment
- His lawyers claim he was defamed by the AFL by their version of events
A footy fan branded 'Flog Man' has hired a top law firm to take on the AFL, claiming he's been defamed after being evicted from an Aussie rules match a fortnight ago.
The AFL claims that a Blues member, known only as 'Frankie,' abused an umpire during the Carlton versus Brisbane showdown two weeks ago.
Frankie's newly appointed lawyers from Holding Redlich are calling on the AFL to formally apologise and retract claims that he 'ran across two bays of seats' to shout at umpire Mathew Nicholls.
Frankie was evicted from Marvel Stadium after he called Nicholls a 'bald-headed flog'.
The fan by the name of Frankie (pictured) was removed from the AFL game after he called the umpire a 'bald headed flog'
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan claimed that Frankie ran aggressively towards Nicholls, and acted in an intimidating way.
But the Carlton supporter maintains that he never got out of his seat, and says he's the victim of defamation.
Holding Redlich lawyer Kyle Siebel remains adamant that Frankie didn't run across two bays of seats.
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'Holding Redlich has written to the AFL requesting that the incorrect statements on the public record be corrected and an apology be issued,' he told the Herald Sun.
His lawyers also want his first and final warning that he received from the AFL integrity department to be wiped.
The fan allegedly ran across two bays of seats to abuse umpire Mathew Nicholls (pictured)
Mr Siebel said Frankie is willing to apologise to Nicholls for calling him a 'bald-headed flog'.
The aftermath of the incident has taken its toll on Frankie, who took stress leave from work while his pregnant fiance has been left distraught by seeing his face plastered over the media.
'Go and get the footage. They (the AFL) own the ground, so it shouldn't be that hard for them to get the footage of me running across the two bays. But it didn't happen.
'I'm disappointed with the AFL that they think they can bully their way out of situations and make up their own stories,' he said last week.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan (pictured) claimed that Frankie ran aggressively towards Nicholls, and acted in an intimidating way
Following the incident, a man claiming to be Frankie, called 3AW and said the actions of Nicholls and the AFL were embarrassing.
'I actually chose my words to make sure I didn't swear because there were kids around,' the man said to 3AW.
'They made me wait half an hour for an AFL integrity officer to come and take a photo of myself and my membership and then I got escorted from the ground by police... and security.'
