The teenager played in the Pat Cronin Foundation round, a competition-wide movement against social violence that Lower Plenty spearheads every May, and wore the club guernsey embroidered with 'PC12' in honour of Cronin. Mr Bevan-Shannon, who received a $322 fine for riotous behaviour after the brawl, has not been charged. Police said on Tuesday the investigation was ongoing. Mr Bevan Shannon grew up in the same area as Patrick and has been known to the Cronin family for several years. Matt Cronin, Patrick's father and head of the foundation, called for a stronger penalty for Mr Bevan-Shannon, whom he knows personally, saying footage of the six-person brawl "makes us feel sick". "There’s no way that we can condone his behaviour in any way ... with a $322 fine, the punishment doesn't fit the crime, I would've thought."

"We're extremely disappointed, saddened by the footage and extremely disappointed to think that it’s someone who knows first-hand the impact of this sort of violent behaviour." Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Mr Cronin, a Richmond fan, said his disappointment was three-fold. "One, he was a Richmond supporter, I saw him in the shirt and thought ‘what an idiot’. Then when I heard he was from Eltham, I thought 'oh, that’s a bit close, he should know better'. When I heard it was Sam, it was even worse," he said. Mr Cronin said Mr Bevan-Shannon had reached out to the Cronin family to apologise on Friday.

He said the foundation had offered Mr Bevan-Shannon the chance to participate in its anti-violence education program, as well as a research project into the causes of social violence. Loading Mr Bevan-Shannon, who played at a lower age grade than Patrick, represented Research Football Club – the feeder side to Lower Plenty – from 2011 to 2016, before joining the senior team in 2017. The teenager received the Patrick Cronin Medal in 2016 for playing more than 100 games for Research. Club president Grant Keys said Mr Bevan-Shannon was not registered to play for Lower Plenty in 2019, but the club "unconditionally condemns the actions of the ex-player at the MCG last Thursday night".

"It is contrary to all the values and behaviours that we expect of anyone associated with this club. The club has previously, on several occasions, attempted to provide support and offer counselling services to this young man, but he has not chosen to accept those offers," Mr Keys said in a statement. "We have again attempted to make contact with him since the incident and continue to appeal to him to seek the counselling he requires to deal with the issues that leads to him acting in such an unacceptable manner." Since Patrick’s death hours after his senior debut alongside brother Lucas in 2016, Lower Plenty has been active in condemning social violence. Matt Cronin said on top of the tribute round and 'PC12' embroidery, the club had assisted his foundation, set up in 2016 to counter "senseless deaths" such as Patrick's, with fundraising and on-field initiatives such as shaking hands both before and after matches. Brothers Patrick (left) and Lucas Cronin in the Lower Plenty guernsey.

Lucas Cronin continues to represent Lower Plenty and his mother Robyn is the club's merchandise manager. Although the victims of Mr Bevan-Shannon's attack did not wish to pursue charges directly after the incident on Thursday night, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan on Friday said, "It's hard to see how we would want that person I saw in a Richmond jumper coming to the football for a period of time." Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton on Tuesday told SEN radio, "initially there were fines but looking at the footage, it's serious enough to warrant an affray investigation". Mr Bevan-Shannon is yet to be charged and the AFL has not announced further action. In 2017, Diamond Creek man Andrew William Lee, 34, was sentenced to eight years in prison over Patrick Cronin's death, with a minimum of five years before he is eligible for parole.