by Lisa Albergo, reporting for AFANA, from Chicago.
TRIBUNAL
Charges Laid:
Sam Lonergan (ESS), negligent contact with an umpire: it is his first offense for a fine of $2600. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to a $1950 fine.
Brad Johnson (WB), negligent contact with an umpire: it is his first offense for a fine of $2600. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to a $1950 fine.
Brad Miller (MELB), rough conduct against Kangaroo Daniel Pratt: assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point), equaling four points, a Level One offense, 125 demerits and a one game suspension. He has a previous record of four matches suspended within the past three years, increasing the penalty 40% to 175 demerits. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 131.25 demerits, still a one game suspension.
Ryan Gamble (GEEL), Geelong, striking St. Kilda's Nick Dal Santo: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points), equaling six points, a Level Three offense, 225 demerits and a two game suspension. He has no existing record and accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 168.75 and a one game suspension.
Cameron Mooney (GEEL), tripping St. Kilda's Leigh Montagna: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point), equaling five points, Level Two offense, 125 demerits and a one game suspension. He prior record of five matches suspended within the last three years increases the penalty 50% to 187.50 demerits and a one game suspension.
Mooney took his case to the Tribunal and was successful in having the classification of intentional downgraded to reckless. Mooney argued that a reflex action caused him to thrust out his leg as he was trying to stop Montagna from getting off a handball. The panel accepted his argument, adjusting the demerits from 140.83 and a one game suspension to 90 for a reprimand.
Barry Hall (SYD), striking Eagle Brent Staker: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), severe impact (four points) and high contact (two points), equaling nine points. Due to the seriousness of the offense, Hall must face the Tribunal with no chance to accept for a lesser penalty.
An apologetic and remorseful Hall spoke via a telephone link during the hearing. He said it was not his intention to injure Staker as the pair grappled behind play, but a "brain explosion" and frustration led him to turn and flatten Staker. Both Hall and his advocate told the Tribunal how Hall had cleaned up his act in regard to onfield aggression in recent years. Hall's advocate pleaded for leniency in light of Hall's apology, remorse and the fact he has worked hard to change his behavior.
West Coast medical officer Dr. Gerard Taylor submitted a statement saying that Staker suffered a concussion and was "dazed and confused" when he came off the ground. Taylor further stated in the submission that Staker had no recollection of the incident and his next memory was sitting next to the doctor on the bench several minutes later. Taylor said that Staker was improving daily but that his jaw would be sore for some weeks yet.
After the three hour hearing, the panel took less than ten minutes to hand down a seven week suspension. Hall would have missed at least six weeks anyway after having surgery to his broken wrist.
Eagle Coach John Worsfold has joined the chorus of a number of ex-players and others in the football community calling for a red-card system to send players off as in soccer.
Nathan Bassett (ADE), striking Hawthorn's Rick Ladson: assessed as negligent conduct (one point), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 80 demerits and a reprimand. He has no existing good or bad record and accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 60 demerits and a reprimand.
Nick Maxwell (COL), striking Carlton's Marc Murphy: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), medium impact (two points) and high contact (two points), equaling seven points, a Level Four offense, 325 demerits and a three game suspension. He has five-year clean record, reducing the penalty 25% to 243.75 demerits and a two game suspension. He accepted, reducing the penalty a further 25% to 182.81 demerits and a one game suspension.
Steven Dodd (FRE), tripping Richmond's Jack Riewoldt: assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point), equaling five points, a Level Two offense, 125 demerits and a one game suspension. He has a previous record of one match suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty 10% to 137.50 demerits.
Dodd took his case to the Tribunal and was successful in having the intentional classification downgraded to reckless. Video footage shows Dodd catching Riewoldt's leg with his hand. However, Dodd said he had been kneed in the back and thought he should have had a fee kick. He went on to say that it was not his intention to trip Riewoldt but that he reached out as he was trying to regain his feet. The panel accepted his testimony and reduced his demerits from 103.13 and a one game suspension to just 60 demerits and a reprimand.
The match day report against Carlton's Nick Stevens was dismissed by the Match Review Panel who ruled that Stevens' action was not considered a strike.
Source: Melbourne Age, Herald Sun & Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release
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Injury Update
ADELAIDE
Injury Update:
Chris Knights, quad, 2 weeks
Brad Moran, fractured finger, 2-3 weeks
Brent Reilly, broken wrist, 4 weeks Aaron Kite, knee, 1 week
Nick Gill & Fris Massie, hamstring, 2 weeks
Luke Jericho, cracked sternum, 2 weeks
Myke Cook, hamstring, 1-2 weeks Rhett Biglands, knee reconstruction, season
Trent Hentschel, played in SANFL last week, ongoing assessment
Source: David Burtenshaw, Club Media Release
BRISBANE
Injury Update:
Jason Roe, quad, 1 week
Josh Drummond, quad, 4 weeks
Matthew Moody & Sam Sheldon, groin, indefinite
Source: Stephen Buckley, Club Media Release
CARLTON
Injury Update:
Andrew Walker, shoulder, indefinite
Source: Stephen Wilson, Club Media Release
COLLINGWOOD
Injury Update:
Scott Burns, calf, 1-2 weeks
Jaxson Barham, shoulder, 1-2 weeks
Simon Prestigiacomo, foot, indefinite
Sean Rusling, shoulder, ongoing assessment Brad Dick, knee, season
Source: Nick Hulett, Club Media Release
ESSENDON
Injury Update:
Matthew Lloyd, calf, might be available to play this week, ongoing assessment
Courtenay Dempsey, hamstring, 1 week Leroy Jetta, & Scott Gumbleton, hamstring, 2 weeks
Tom Hislop, wrist, 2 weeks
Sam Lonergan, hamstring, 3 weeks
Mark McVeigh, hamstring, 4 weeks
Scott Lucas, knee, 7-9 weeks Heath Hocking, groin, 8-10 weeks Andrew Lee, shoulder, indefinite
Source: Cara Pelchen
FREMANTLE
Injury Update:
Mark Johnson, knee bruising, 1 week
Luke Webster, knee, 10 weeks
Paul Hasleby, knee, season
Source: Herald Sun
GEELONG
Injury Update:
Brad Ottens, foot, 1 week
Nathan Djerrkura, quad, 2 weeks
Matthew Egan, foot, long term injury list
Source: Kevin Diggerson, Club Media Release
HAWTHORN
Injury Update:
Max Bailey, knee, 4-5 weeks
Stuart Dew, hamstring, 2 weeks
Beau Muston, knee, season
Source: Sarah Kalaja, Club Media Release
MELBOURNE
Injury Update:
Jack Grimes, back, long term injury list Ricky Petterd, groin, 4-6 weeks Paul Johnson, broken hand, 3 weeks
Source: Leigh Newton, Club Media Release
NORTH MELBOURNE
Injury Update:
Nathan Grima, knee, season
Robbie Tarrant, shoulder, 12 weeks
Josh Gibson, knee, 2-3 weeks
Leigh Adams, knee, ongoing assessment
Source: Matt Harrington, Club Media Release
PORT ADELAIDE
Injury Update:
Matt Thomas, plantar fascia tear (foot), ongoing assessment Michael Wilson, ruptured achilles, ongoing assessment
Hugh Minson, knee, retired, long term injury list**
**Minson, a promising ruckman, announced his retirement last week due to a degenerative knee condition. The knee problem stems from injuries suffered as a junior player and medical experts advised Minson his knee would not stand up to the rigors of AFL football. Minson, brother to Western Bulldog ruckman Will, was drafted in 2005 but played just one senior game for Port - a preseason match this year. Minson was placed on the long term injury list for the remainder of the season. This will allow Port to elevate a rookie to the senior list at some stage during the season. Minson will be officially delisted at the end of the year.
Source: Hitaf Rasheed, Club Media Release
RICHMOND
Injury Update:
Andrew Raines, knee, 1-2 weeks
Danny Meyer, hip, 2 weeks
Source: Judith Donnelly, Club Media Release
SYDNEY
Injury Update:
Heath Grundy, foot, 1 week
Henry Playfair, hamstring, 1-2 weeks
Nic Fosdike, knee, 2 weeks
Barry Hall, wrist plus suspension, 7 weeks Brett Meredith, shoulder, 6-8 weeks
Nick Malceski, knee, indefinite Kristin Thornton, knee, season
Source: Herald Sun
WEST COAST
Injury Update:
Mitch Brown, knee, season
Mark LeCras, groin, 2-3 weeks
Matt Priddis, knee, 2-3 weeks**
Butler, groin, 1-2 weeks
**Priddis underwent minor knee surgery last week to clear up several loose bone fragments
Source: Anna Carew-Reid
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Injury Update:
Scott West, knee, 1 week
Tom Williams, thigh, 1 week
Shaun Higgins, ankle,12-14 weeks
Source: Herald Sun
Article last changed on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 10:42 AM EDT
