A fan who ran onto the field during Saturday night’s AFL game at Etihad Stadium and another who walked along the boundary carrying a crucifix have been arrested.

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police told AAP on Monday a 24-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman had been arrested and they were released pending summons.

St Kilda coach Scott Watters expressed his anger following the incident during the last quarter of Saturday night’s clash with Essendon when a male intruder ran all the way to the centre circle while play continued,

He was eventually subdued by a bunch of security guards and led from the field.

The first-half incident was equally strange as a woman carrying a bible, a bell and a crucifix escaped the attention of security staff.

The woman demanded that Seven Network television commentator Cameron Ling hand over his microphone so she could address the crowd, the afl.com.au website reported.

Stadium spokesman Bill Lane said the woman was detained on the edge of the ground.

“She didn’t go on to the playing surface and was escorted by a member of the contracted security staff up the umpires’ race,” he said.

“It’s not something we take lightly.”

Watters described the last-quarter incident with the male intruder as ridiculous.

“The immediate thing is you actually fear for the safety of your players,” Watters told ABC Radio.

“Players are engrossed in the game and you just need one idiot to run and tackle someone from behind or get involved and a player trips over and that would be horrendous.

“Bizarre is the right world. All of a sudden you look up and see a guy running through the middle of the ground.

“The message to anyone who thinks it is their two seconds of fame is just pull your head in. It is just absolutely ridiculous.

“I just hope it is something we look at closely and really stamp it out with really brutal sanctions and if the security guards get the opportunity to make a very strong forward-50 tackle, I reckon they should go for it.”