Henley and Broadview football clubs have players suspended for striking at Adelaide Footy League tribunal

Two clubs are in hot water with the Adelaide Footy League after having players suspended for striking on Wednesday night.

• The best and worst behaved local footy clubs in 2018
• Henley player cops nine week ban for striking
• Adelaide Footy League introduces new system to tackle on-field violence

Two clubs are in hot water with the Adelaide Footy League after having players suspended for striking on Wednesday night.

The league’s tribunal banned Henley player Nathan Pierson for six games for a hit in a division one reserves match against Port District on Saturday, while Broadview’s Sam De Leonardis copped a five-match punishment for punching Seaton Ramblers’ Josh Turner in their division two clash.

The suspensions have led to both Henley and Broadview moving up from category one to two in the league’s new behavioural rating system.

Sam De Leonardis while playing for North Adelaide in 2016. Picture Roger Wyman

Last season the Sharks had five players suspended for a total of 20 matches – the second-most behind banned club Salisbury West (seven reports, 27 games).

Broadview had four players banned for a total of nine matches last year.

THE BEST AND WORST BEHAVED ADELAIDE FOOTY LEAGUE CLUBS

Henley coach Jarrad Parker said the Pierson incident in the Sharks’ 46-point loss on Saturday and the club’s 2018 tribunal record – after having no reports the previous two years – was “not something we want to be associated with” and “certainly something we’re not proud of”.

“It’s something we’ve spoken to the playing group about several times,” Parker said.

“They are fully aware that sort of behaviour is not acceptable.

“The players need to take ownership for their actions – that’s something we’ve brought up previously and will continue to discuss with them,” Parker said.

“The player (Pierson) is disappointed with himself and knows its something he shouldn’t have done.”

Henley’s bans last season included nine games for reserves player Kane Fry and four matches for A-graders Jeremy Johncock and Joshua Obst – all for striking.

Henley’s Nathan Pierson, pictured playing for Broadview in 2010.

De Leonardis, who played 20 league matches for North Adelaide from 2014-17, struck Turner after getting tackled during the first quarter of Broadview’s 38-point loss on Saturday and received a red card from the umpire.

Turner and the Port District opponent struck by Pierson were not injured from the incidents.

League chief executive John Kernahan said the governing body was concerned about both matters.

“We are alarmed in what the situation is at the Henley Football Club, which didn’t come near the league tribunal for two years, but had a bad record in 2018 and has started this season poorly,” Kernahan said.

“The league has already fielded questions from other clubs, privately, with the Broadview decision not being consistent with the league charter.

“We are on a slippery slope if, as a league, we start offering our views on outcomes, however we will seek an opportunity to ensure league ideologies and their own terms of reference are in synch with that of the league.

“A sitting tribunal is fortunate enough to hear all available evidence and make their determination accordingly and we must respect that process.”

The league introduced the demerits points-style behavioural rating system this year to increase transparency and remove subjectivity regarding how it dealt with clubs’ indiscretions.

The new system places clubs into five rating categories, from best to worst behaved, based on points accumulated for guilty tribunal reports.

Broadview president Shane Hodby did not return Messenger Community News’ calls.

[e-mail]

Follow @patkeam