Australian Rules Football Player Tries to Strangle Opponent During Game

A troubling incident involving two Australian Football League players is under review after tempers flared on the field recently.

Hawthorn's Brian Lake attempted to strangle North Melbourne's Drew Petrie after throwing him down to the ground during play. Lake had a pretty good hold on Petrie's neck for much of the skirmish.

Petrie even admitted that he was "nearly asleep there for a moment," via the Herald Sun's Rebecca Williams. Had Petrie's teammates not rushed to his defense, this situation could have escalated even further.

Petrie talked about his role in the incident on The Sunday Footy Show, via Williams:

"

In the beginning, I am certainly getting involved in the scuffle, no denying that.

I think I was just going to grab something because he had me, so I wanted to grab him in some part of his body and I grabbed his face.

I didn’t mean to gouge or scratch him, I’m sure come (today) there will be something go on and we might hear more about it, but I’m reluctant to go into too much detail.

If it was my doing putting the scratch on his face, I didn’t mean to scratch him. I’m not a scratcher or a gouger, or anything like that. ...

... I was engaged, initially, as well and then I put my arms down hoping that we would both stand up and run back to position.

We managed to keep going on there, so I had to get back involved.

"

According to Williams, Lake was charged with misconduct, and the AFL Tribunal will now review the matter.

[AFL, h/t SI's Extra Mustard]