SAAFL to re-charge Jesse White despite Supreme Court win

An ex-AFL player who took a local footy ban to the Supreme Court will be re-charged by the league, as officials reveal fears over what the decision means for other players.

The SA Amateur Football League will recharge former AFL player Jesse White with striking after the Supreme Court overturned the league’s decision to suspend him for three matches.

The ban would have seen Mr White miss Broadview Football Club’s finals campaign because he would not have played enough games to qualify, however the decision was overturned on Thursday.

Mr White launched action in the Supreme Court to have the ban quashed so he could play in the final game of the season on Saturday.

However, the SAAFL will fight the decision by holding a second tribunal hearing on Friday to re-charge Mr White.

Still of Jesse White during the incident which left him with a three week suspension.

In a letter obtained by The Advertiser addressed to Mr White’s counsel, Andersons Solicitors, acting for the SAAFL, said the league would facilitate a tribunal hearing on Friday for Mr White to make his case.

The tribunal will be made up of different members to those who assessed the charge initially.

It is unclear if the initial three-match ban will be offered by the tribunal.

Mr White was playing for Broadview in the Division Two competition of the SA Amateur Football League when he elbowed another player to the face.

He pleaded guilty to striking and was given a three-game suspension by the SAAFL tribunal.

SAAFL chief executive John Kernahan said the Supreme Court decision sent the wrong message.

“We’ve got concerns of the precedent it sets,” he told The Advertiser.

“If you don’t like the decision you just go to court.

“I think it shows the chasm between court of law and what many associations have to do with their own jurisdiction … they’re two very different things.”

Mr White played 127 AFL games for the Sydney Swans and Collingwood Magpies over a decade-long career at the sport’s highest level after being selected by Sydney with pick 79 in the 2006 national draft.

He kicked 144 goals in his career playing predominantly as a forward with stints in the ruck.

After retiring from the AFL in 2017, Mr White joined Glenelg Football Club in the SANFL.

Sam Abbott QC, for Mr White, told Supreme Court Auxiliary Justice Sydney Tilmouth during the hearing on Wednesday, his client was applying to have the decision of the league’s disciplinary tribunal overturned.

Mr Abbott said Mr White was denied procedural fairness when the Tribunal took into account a disciplinary history sourced from a website which showed the former Collingwood and Sydney player had been fined for misconduct.

He said Mr White played 280 games “at the highest levels” across a 13-year career which included AFL, VFL and SANFL.

Mr White had told the tribunal he had no previous disciplinary issues and when shown the new documents said he had no knowledge of the fines.

Jesse White during his time at Collingwood. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

The court heard there was a chance that the fines had been paid by the clubs without Mr White even being aware.

Paul d’Assumpcao, for SAAFL, told the court the tribunal had not taken into account the prior history, and even if they had it would not have affected the outcome.

SAAFL chief executive John Kernahan said the league would not comment on the specifics of Mr White’s case.

After 17 rounds Broadview sat second on the Division Two ladder behind Sacred Heart Old Collegians, with 14 wins.

On Thursday, Justice Tilmouth declared the ban “null and void”.

Reasons for the decision will be published at a later date.