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by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

David Hille (ESS), rough conduct against Carlton's Mitch Robinson: assessed as negligent conduct (one point), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points), equaling four four activation points, a Level One offense, 125 demerits, and a one game suspension. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 93.75 demerits and a reprimand with the demerits held over toward his future record.

Kieren Jack (SYD), rough conduct against Hawthorn's Matt Suckling: assessed as negligent conduct (one point), low impact (one point), and high contact (two points), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 125 demerits, and a one game suspension. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to 93.75 demerits and a reprimand with the demerits held over toward his future record.

Brent Guerra (HAW), rough conduct against Sydney's Nick Malceski: assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point), and high contact (two points), equaling five activation points, a Level Two offense, 225 demerits, and a two game suspension.

Guerra took his case to the Tribunal to challenge the reckless classification and succeeded. Guerra and his advocate argued that he heard the umpire call "advantage" (which allows a player of the infringed team to play on when they are in possession of the ball so as not to disadvantage them by stopping play for a free kick) after his tackle on Malceski, but that he did not hear the umpire's whistle to stop play for a 50 meter (55 yards) penalty. He and his advocate also convinced the panel to listen to audio of the match commentary which aided his case. The audio clearly established that the umpire had called advantage before blowing his whistle to award a free kick and 50 meter penalty. In his defense Guerra said that he did not push Malceski in the back but had taken Malceski down by rotating his body and bringing Malceski down on top of him. He further stated that Malceski had gone limp which caused his head to hit the turf. The AFL Counsel and Tribunal panel agreed that Guerra could not be penalized with reckless conduct if he did not hear the umpire's whistle and downgraded the action to negligent. As a result, Guerra's penalty is now 93.75 demerits and a reprimand with the demerits held over toward his future record.

Leigh Brown (COL), tripping Geelong's Matthew Stokes:assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point), and body contact (one point), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 80 demerits, and a reprimand. He has a five year clean record, reducing the penalty 25% to 60 demerits. He accepted, reducing the penalty a further 25% to 45 demerits and a reprimand with the demerits held over toward his future record.

Quinten Lynch (WCE), misconduct in that he kneed Brisbane's Brent Staker assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point), and body contact (one point), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 125 demerits, and a one game suspension. He has a five year clean record, reducing the penalty 25% to 93.75 demerits and a reprimand.

Lynch took his case to the Tribunal and succeeded in having it dismissed. He and his advocate argued that the contact with Staker was unavoidable and the Tribunal agreed. As a result, the demerits and reprimand are wiped from his record.

Brett Jones (WCE), fined $1200 for a first offense of negligent contact with an umpire. He accepted, reducing the penalty 25% to $900.

Jonathan Brown (BRIS), tripping West Coast's Scott Selwood: assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point), and body contact (one point), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 80 demerits, and a reprimand. He has a five year clean record, reducing the penalty 25% to 60 demerits.

Brown took his case to the Tribunal in an effort to have the charge dismissed and keep his five year clean record intact. Several years ago, Brown had a poor Tribunal record with multiple suspensions, but rechanneled his onfield aggression in a positive manner. Brown said that he was only trying to change direction in an attempt to tackle Selwood. However, the Tribunal upheld the original findings of the MRP, leaving Brown with 60 demerits and a reprimand with held over toward his future record.

Joel Patfull (BRIS), rough conduct against West Coast's Brett Jones: assessed as negligent conduct (one point), high impact (three points), and high contact (two points), equaling six activation points, a Level Three offense, 325 demerits, and a three game suspension.

Patfull took his case to the Tribunal and succeeded in having the charge dismissed. Patfull testified that he only had eyes for the ball and realized at the last second that contact would be unavoidable. It was only then that he attempted to slow down, lower his body to avoid high contact and brace himself for contact. In that effort, he lost his balance and stated that the collision, which resulted in Jones suffering a broken jaw, was partly due to him trying to regain his balance. The Tribunal agreed and dismissed the charge.

Jordan Roughead (WB), rough conduct against Adelaide's Brad Symes: assessed as negligent conduct (one point), low impact (one point), and high contact (two points), equaling four activation points, a Level One offense, 125 demerits, and a one game suspension.

Roughead took his case to the Tribunal, who determined that the contact he made with Symes was not high and dismissed the charge.

The Match Review Panel assessed the match day report against Essendon's Sam Lonergan for rough conduct against Carlton's Robert Warnock. The MRP ruled that the contact made was less than what is required for a reportable offense and dismissed it.

Source: Patrick Keane, AFL Media Release; theage.com.au, herald.com.au, afl.com.au

Article last changed on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 10:26 AM EDT


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