The good, the bad and the ugly: the Western Sydney Wanderers are well supported. Credit:Getty Images

Poljak was also critical of the FFA's punishment of the clubs involved, imposing suspended penalties of three match points that will be triggered in the event of a repeat clash. He proposed that clubs should be fined first and issued warnings before facing a loss of competition points for off-field matters that can at times be out of their control.

''I think that's too much,'' Poljak said. ''If something happens then they charge the clubs. Before they take the points, fines should go first, and maybe after a few warnings - not straight away - they should take points. That should be the last thing they should do, take the points. The clubs can't do anything in that situation. It happens in every single sport with rival fans, they can meet at the same point, it doesn't even have to be organised, sometimes you can't do anything to avoid that.''

Poljak grew up in a region with a history of football violence and has experienced the dark side of hooliganism first-hand. Due to his involvement with the youth team of Dinamo Zagreb, Poljak was invited to be a ball-boy for their clash against fierce rivals Hajduk Split in 2004 and was granted his wish to be located in the north stand, beneath the home active supporter group. After the opening goal in the 3-0 rout of Hajduk, dozens of flares were thrown from the stands with one striking the 15-year-old Poljak. ''It was actually a derby against

Hajduk and I always wanted to be a ball-boy under the north stand where the [Dinamo supporter group] Bad Blue Boys are,'' Poljak said. ''When Dinamo scored a goal, I think hundreds of flares came from the north stand and I was running from one and I didn't see the other one hit my shoulder, but I had a jacket so it just burned the jacket, that's it, nothing.''