North Adelaide fined $10k, will play in grand final after SANFL tribunal hearing into 19 men on the field upholds preliminary win
NORTH Adelaide has been fined $10,000 and docked four premiership points for next season for fielding 19 men during its preliminary final against the Eagles — but will play Norwood in the grand final on Sunday, a five-hour SANFL tribunal hearing has decided.
- Controversy mars incredible Roosters victory
- League confirms 19th man, Eagles eye legal options
- Extra man controversy mars Roosters’ miracle comeback win
- Southport survive extra man controversy in NEAFL grand final
- Waikerie’s record streak ends with headcount
NORTH Adelaide will front Norwood in the grand final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday after a ruling by the SANFL tribunal on Monday night.
However, the Roosters have been fined $10,000 and will lose four premiership points next season after having 19 players on the field for nearly four minutes in the preliminary final win over Woodville-West Torrens on Sunday.
Retired Supreme Court judge Michael David QC said the Roosters had been grossly negligent and fined them the maximum penalty as well as hit them with a points loss for 2019.
Roosters chief executive Greg Edwards said the club was happy to be playing in the grand final.
Eagles chief executive Luke Powell said the club was disappointed, but respected the tribunal’s decision.
“We went through the process which the commission gave us the opportunity to do,” he said. “It is heartbreaking for our players, sponsors, supporters and members.
“But we are a resilient football club and will bounce back. It will take a while the boys and coaching staff to get over the disappointment.
“All we can do is wish the North Adelaide Football Club all the best in the grand final and hopefully it is a great result for the SANFL.”
The extraordinary hearing, which took more than five hours, aimed to unravel North’s astonishing mistake to field 19 players during its preliminary final win on Sunday.
It upheld North’s stunning five-point come-from-behind win over Woodville-West Torrens, and said the Roosters had the extra player for the first three minutes 39 seconds of the final quarter.
As Eagles players hit the training track in the hope their season wasn’t yet over, and Roosters players did a pool session, the SA Football Commission referred the issue to the tribunal after meeting at Adelaide Oval on Monday afternoon.
The hearing was heard by retired Supreme Court judge the Hon. Michael David QC.
In a statement, the SANFL said the commission considered, at the request of the Eagles, the issue of North fielding 19 players for more than three minutes in the last term.
“In accordance with the SANFL Constitution, Rules and Regulations, the SA Football Commission resolved that the matter be referred to the independent SANFL Tribunal for determination.
“In accordance within the SANFL Constitution, Rules and Regulations, the decision is unable to be challenged or appealed.”
Classy onballer Aidan Tropiano was the 19th man on the field for North Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The interchange list had Tropiano starting on the bench for the final quarter with Jake Wohling, but he was in the centre square for the restart of the game.
After 4mins 8secs of the final quarter, Roosters midfielder Jarred Allmond left the field and was not replaced. Just three seconds later Tropiano — who was earlier helped off the field looking groggy after a collision — is listed as entering the oval, but there is no player coming off.
The matter was referred to the commission after an SANFL investigation.
The Roosters won the game by five points after they added a goal and two behinds with the extra player.
AFL 360 host Gerard Whateley said on Monday night that the AFL had workshopped the result and if the events had occurred in thenational competition, North Adelaide would be stripped of their victory.
The furious Eagles met on Sunday night to discuss their options and there was even the possibility of legal action. The Eagles players were told to go about their business as if they were playing this weekend, but their dream is now over because there is no avenue for appeal.
There were many varied opinions on the outcome given the situation is unprecedented and even rival clubs were uncertain what should be the decision.
This is not the first game in which a team has had 19 players on the field. However, the length of time there was an extra player in the preliminary final is unprecedented.
In round four this season, Adelaide had 19 players on the ground against Central District at Elizabeth Oval at the start of the start of the second quarter.
When the ball was bounced to restart the game, Elliott Himmelberg was making a mad dash to get off the ground. He failed by about 20m.
His presence for those few seconds didn’t have any impact on the game. Under the rules, the opposition would need to call for a player count. If that were to occur, umpires do a headcount and then report to the league.
The most famous extra man incident was in the 1975 clash between West Torrens and West Adelaide.
West Torrens’ champion Fred Bills, playing the last of his 313 league games, entered the field of play before John Cassin, who was injured and lying on a stretcher, had left. This prompted West Adelaide to request a headcount.
West Torrens players ran for the boundary line and Norm Dare managed to leap the fence and hide under a supporter’s coat to avoid detection from the umpire.
Earlier this year, a headcount in a Riverland Football League match resulted in Waikerie having its score wiped in the final term.
A yellow card left the Magpies with 17 players after three-quarter time, but the coach mistakenly put 18 names on the white board during the break.
Opponent Loxton North spotted the extra player two minutes into the last term and called for a headcount. The umpires stopped the game and wiped the Magpies 12.10 (82) scoreline who went on to lose by 17 points.
The result ended Waikerie’s 30-game winning streak and was the side’s only loss for the year on its way to a third consecutive premiership.
The SANFL’s controversy came just hours after a headcount was ordered in the NEAFL grand final.
Southport had 19 men on the field for a small period early in the fourth quarter of their 55-point win against Sydney, but did not have their score wiped.
Leading by 10 goals heading into the final term, the Sharks were called in for the headcount when a Southport player realised he wasn’t meant to be on the field at the start of the quarter.
Making a break for the sidelines, the player was called back by the field umpire, who proceeded to count the extra man.
Under AFL rules, an extra player on the field results in the offending team having their score wiped. However, officials used discretionary power to call the error an interchange breach with the blessing of the Swans, meaning Southport only gave away a free kick and 50m penalty.
How the drama unfolded
THE GAME
Second quarter
10min: Angus Poole kicks a goal and Eagles lead by 36 points.
Siren: Eagles lead by 29 points at half-time.
Third quarter
6min 35secs: Sam Rowland kicks a goal and Eagles lead by 47.
22:19: Keenan Ramsey kicks a behind for Roosters and they trail by 31.
Siren: Eagles lead by 20 points at three-quarter time.
Final quarter
Opening bounce: Aidan Tropiano and Jake Wohling listed as being on interchange (Alex Spina out of game injured in third quarter). But Tropiano starts in the centre.
1:26: Sam McInerney (Roosters) kicks a behind.
2:29: Lewis Hender (Roosters) kicks a behind.
3:49: Ramsey kicks a goal and Roosters trail by 12.
4:08: Jared Allmond (Roosters) runs from the ground and is not replaced. Eagles’ officials tell SANFL officials Roosters had 19 men on the ground.
4:11: Interchange list has Tropiano coming on, but no one coming off.
22:45: Boyd Woodcock (Roosters) kicks a goal and they lead by 22.
29:33: Matthew Goldsworthy (Eagles) kicks a goal and they trail by five points.
30:24: Siren sounds and North players celebrate what they believe to be a five-point win.
Post game
Sunday, 5pm: Eagles’ coach Michael Godden speaks to The Advertiser, angry the Roosters had 19 players on the field.
Throughout the night: Eagles’ players take to social media, venting their frustration with the circumstances.
9.50pm: SANFL statement confirms North Adelaide had 19 players on the field.
10.45pm: North chief executive Greg Edwards speaks out on Twitter, saying he has “had enough … of Eagles players and some media calling us cheats for a three-minute interchange accident”.
Monday
Morning: Eagles’ players cancel Mad Monday celebrations and told to attend training Monday night in preparation for a possible grand-final appearance.
Monday, 12.37pm: SANFL releases statement saying the matter has been referred to the SA Football Commission, which met Sunday afternoon.
5.48: SANFL statement says the commission has appointed retired Supreme Court judge, the Honourable Michael David QC, to chair a tribunal hearing on the matter.
6.30pm: Tribunal hearing starts.
11.30pm: Tribunal rules in favour of North Adelaide, who are fined $10,000, docked four premiership points for 2019, but will play in the grand final.
The rules
5.5 COUNTING OF PLAYERS
5.5.1 Request by Captain
The captain or acting captain of a Team may at any time during a Match request that the field Umpire count the number of Players of the opposing Team who are on the Playing Surface.
5.5.3 Players Exceeding Permitted Number
Where a Team has more than the permitted number of Players on the Playing Surface, the following shall apply:
(a) a field umpire shall award a free kick to the captain or acting captain of the opposing team, which shall be taken at the centre circle or where play was stopped, whichever is the greater penalty against the offending team;
(b) a 50-metre penalty shall then be imposed from the position where the Free Kick was awarded; and
(c) the team shall lose all points which it has scored in the match up to the time of the count.
* Source: Laws of Australian Football, 2017