Salisbury North Hawks suspended from Adelaide Footy League for rest of 2018 after player’s eight-week striking ban

A NORTHERN suburbs club has been turfed out of the Adelaide Footy League for the rest of the season after its latest on-field indiscretion – a player’s eight-week ban for striking.

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A NORTHERN suburbs club has been turfed out of the Adelaide Footy League for the remainder of the season after a player’s eight-week ban for striking.

The league today suspended all three of Salisbury North’s senior teams for the rest of 2018 for breaking an amended affiliation agreement regarding poor on-field behaviour.

Last night the league’s tribunal handed an eight-week ban to Salisbury North player Alex Stengle for striking Unley Mercedes opponent James Khabbaz in their division two match at Kingswood Oval on Saturday.

Salisbury North has been on notice with the league since three players and a former coach received suspensions from the 2013 division one grand final replay.

The league stripped the Bagsters Rd club of eight premiership points in 2015, four in 2016 and 10 last season after Salisbury North players were suspended.

Salisbury North’s Alex Stengle has been suspended for eight weeks, which has cost his club a spot in the Adelaide Footy League for the rest of the year. Picture: Stephen Laffer.

In a statement sent to clubs earlier today, league chief executive John Kernahan said the organisation had attempted to work with Salisbury North but the club had not complied to conditions.

“The league executive will continue to counsel recalcitrant clubs until it is believed there is little to be gained by expending further resources to which at that point, simply move on and do so in the comfort the executive and staff have afforded the given club every opportunity to comply with league standards,” Kernahan said.

Salisbury North was fifth on the division two ladder with a 5-5 record after the weekend.

Losing 10 premiership points last season ultimately led to Salisbury North being relegated from division one for the first time in 16 years.

Before the start of this season, Salisbury North signed an agreement with the league that stated it would be expelled from the competition if a player, official, member or supporter was found guilty of an offence considered serious enough in nature.

The tribunal deemed Stengle’s striking charge as “intentional” and “high” contact with “high” impact.

Khabbaz has been ruled out of Unley Mercedes’ clash against St Peter’s Old Collegians this Saturday because of concussion.

Stengle after winning the division one best and fairest medal in 2011 while playing for Gepps Cross.

The Adelaide Footy League has also deregistered Stengle — the league’s division one best and fairest in 2011 — for exceeding its 12-game suspension threshold.

Last night’s ban was Stengle’s first in the Adelaide Footy League but he received a six-match suspension for striking while playing for Central District’s reserves in 2005.

Stengle can move to another competition because he has not reached the 16-game threshold of football’s national deregistration policy that has been adopted by the SANFL and many country leagues.

Salisbury North coach Gavin Chaplin (middle) with players Jordan Boyle and Jake Russo before the start of the season. Picture: AAP/Roy Vandervegt.

Kernahan said Salisbury North was welcome to apply for reaffiliation for the 2019 season but the club would need to meet certain criteria and clearly identify “how they might continue to be a member of this league without a reoccurrence”.

He said Salisbury North players are free to join other clubs for the remainder of the season.

Salisbury North coach Gavin Chaplin said players and officials were set to meet at the club tonight to discuss the league’s decision but he did not want to comment further.

Club president David Hood has been contacted for comment.