
Entertainer Blake Johnston was hired by the players to perform at a function in South Melbourne yesterday. Arthur Penn Serevetas, who was working with him, witnessed the incident when Mr Johnston was speaking with a group of players.
"He was talking to one of the footballers then another footballer went behind him," he said.
"He had one of those gaslighters that you light a stove up (with). He basically opened the flame.
"I saw that his shirt, because we were hired as security, and pants went alight and it slowly started. You know flames started appearing."
Eventually someone put the flames out. Mr Serevetas says one of the players also threatened him.
"One of the gentlemen made a kind of initial threat to me that he'd throw me over a balcony," he said.
"I said to him you can have a shot if you want.
"I wasn't going to be bullied in that way. I've been bullied all my life."
Mr Serevetas drove Mr Johnston home after the incident.