Not many Aussies knew who Dino Arslanagic was until he threatened to kill police.
The former A League player unleashed on police after a day of heavy drinking and will leave Australia with little game time and a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Ezra Mam is the most recent recipient.
Arslanagic joined Macarthur Bulls at the beginning g of the 2024/2025 season, but was soon after sacked for his tirade at police.
In December 2024, he enjoyed too many samples in the Hunter Valley wine region in NSW then kept drinking the next night at a bar in Sydney. It is here that his behaviour attracted the attention of bar staff who called police, and here that the Belgian earned his Frownlow nomination.
The centre-back became upset when someone apparently approached his wife on the dance floor, and he was asked to leave the venue. He did not cooperate and police had to escort him from the premises.
Police apparently tried to confiscate the bottle of champagne Arslanagic was holding, and he reacted, saying,
“Do you want to f;;;ing go?”
The player continued to resist police, until one of them sprayed him with capsicum spray.
Arslanagic then said:
“You spray my eye, do you know who I am?”
He then said something which explains the existence of The Frownlow Medal and encapsulates the entitlement of professional footballers in Australia.
“I play football. I play A League football”
As this justifies his behaviour and should allow him to escape punishment.
He then pointed his finger at police, and pretended to pull the trigger of a gun, saying:
“I’ll shoot you.”
After threatening to slap an officer, he yelled:
“I will kill you. Come to my country, one bullet in your head, you’re dead”
His wife then apparently tried to step between Arslanagic and police, but the player avoided her and started a violent wrestle with one officer before finally being handcuffed and taken into custody.
During court proceedings, Arslanagic apparently said that he and his wife have no more business in Australia after his contract with the Bulls was terminated.
But that’s not true. He is invited to attend the awards ceremony for The Frownlow Medal later this year, where other disgraced footballers will definitely know who he is.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 