AFL tribunal news 2024: Sydney Swans to appeal Isaac Heeney’s Tribunal finding for striking charge

After hours of discussion, the Swans have confirmed that they will appeal the one-match ban handed down to Isaac Heeney at the Tribunal. LACHLAN McKIRDY has the details.

The incident Isaac Heeney has been put under the microscope over.

The Sydney Swans have decided to appeal the finding from the AFL Tribunal that Isaac Heeney’s one-match ban for striking St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster should stand.

After a more than 90-minute hearing on Tuesday night, the Swans were unsuccessful with their initial attempt to exonerate Heeney from his charge. They argued that Heeney’s actions should not fall inside the framework for intentional conduct, regardless of the rule change that was recently brought in for off-ball pushing and fending incidents.

Members of the Swans executive spent hours on Wednesday morning deliberating whether an appeal would have any merit. But with Heeney’s potential Brownlow Medal hopes on the line, the Swans felt their case is strong enough attempt another appeal.

The new hearing is likely to be held on Thursday afternoon, meaning Heeney could face a scenario where he is not sure whether or not he is playing against North Melbourne two days later.

Given how much is on the line for Heeney individually, the decision makes sense from the Swans. However, the club is also confident in their case.

To be successful in the appeal, the Swans must prove that there was either an error of law, it was an unreasonable decision, that the classification of the offence was ‘manifestly excessive’ or the punishment handed down was excessive.

Heeney’s Brownlow hopes gutted after ban upheld

Isaac Heeney’s Brownlow Medal hopes are officially over after the Tribunal found he did intentionally strike St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster, meaning his one-match ban will remain for Sydney’s game this weekend against North Melbourne.

St Kilda, on the back of a second half comeback, beat the Swans 13.6 (86) to 11.16 (82).

Heeney was charged for the incident involving St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster on Sunday, with his hand clipping the nose of the Saints’ defender as he attempted to gain separation ahead of a marking contest.

The incident was graded as intentional due to a new rule brought in around striking this season where behind play fends will ‘usually’ be classified as intentional.

The Swans argued that at its highest, Heeney’s conduct should have been graded as careless.

When quizzed about the incident by Sydney’s counsel Duncan Miller, Heeney confirmed that he had felt Webster grab him in two places – near the shoulder blade and by the shorts. Heeney’s first instinct was to swat away Webster’s hand on his shoulder in a downward motion.

The Swans then showed front-on vision of the incident which shows that Heeney’s first contact with Webster is the defender’s hand. Heeney’s arm is then deflected in an upwards motion, with his pinky and side of his hand making contact with Webster’s nose.

Sydney also argued that Heeney clearly stops the moment he realises he has made contact with Webster’s nose, and that isn’t the act of a player trying to make intentional high contact.

The AFL counsel claimed Heeney clearly saw where Webster’s face was before attempting to swat his arm, which the Sydney forward denied. They also submitted that it was a forceful swing in the direction of Webster’s head, and that it was “a strike and intended to be so”.

The incident Isaac Heeney has been put under the microscope over. Picture: FoxFooty.

JUST IN: Isaac Heeney's hopes of winning the Brownlow Medal this season are over.

His ban has been upheld at the tribunal and will miss this weekend's game against North Melbourne. #AFL

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) July 9, 2024

Another point of contention was whether the incident occurred off the ball. While the AFL argued that purely based on distance Heeney and Webster were some way from the contest, the Swans submitted that the pair were the only two in play as they were the only players reasonably expected to contest the ball which was about to be kicked by Justin McInerney.

If the Swans were unsuccessful in their attempts to change the grading from intentional to careless, they also argued that the incident should be on the lowest end of intentional and as a result, Heeney’s good on-field record of 193 games and no suspensions could come into play.

Following a nearly 45-minute deliberation, Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson confirmed that the panel, which also included former Melbourne forward David Neitz and Jason Johnson, had not been satisfied that the incident should be downgraded to careless conduct.

They found that Heeney swung his right arm back with the intention to make forceful contact to Webster, whether it was to the hand or the face. They also confirmed that the exceptional and compelling circumstances around Heeney’s record should not apply given the intentional conduct.

Originally published as AFL tribunal news 2024: Sydney Swans to appeal Isaac Heeney’s Tribunal finding for striking charge