SANFL CEO Jake Parkinson endorsed the independent tribunal’s decision

SANFL chief executive Jake Parkinson has endorsed the independent tribunal’s decision to allow North Adelaide to contest Sunday’s grand final despite the 19th man controversy. Plus, see Chris McDermott’s Facebook chat here.

SANFL chief executive Jake Parkinson has endorsed the independent tribunal’s decision to allow North Adelaide to contest Sunday’s grand final despite the 19th man controversy.

The Roosters were handed a reprieve on Monday night when the league upheld the club’s contentious preliminary final victory over Woodville-West Torrens.

North was fined $10,000 and deducted four premiership points for next season, but was given the green light to face Norwood in this weekend’s decider at Adelaide Oval.

Speaking on Tuesday morning after the tribunal deliberated over the matter for more than five hours the previous night, Parkinson was confident the process and outcome was fair.

“The North Adelaide Football Club and the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club presented very, very well and made a great account of themselves,” Parkinson said.

“(But) it was important that we went through due process and we’re quite confident that each club had their proper hearing.

“By having an independent tribunal ... we know that we went through and gave everyone their opportunity for a fair hearing.

“The fans want an outcome that is just and that’s what we ended up with last night.”

North had seemingly secured its passage to its first grand final since 2013 when it pulled off a stunning five-point triumph over the Eagles on Sunday.

But it emerged soon after the match that the Roosters had fielded an illegal 19th player for the opening three minutes and 39 seconds of the final quarter.

Parkinson said there would be a full review of the process in arriving at the outcome and the rules regarding the handling of similar 19th man scenarios in the future.

“We wouldn’t like any preliminary final decided in a tribunal room,” he said.

“It’s an unprecedented circumstance.

“I can understand why there are some people who are reflecting on what went on and questioning why that was the case.

“It was an honest mistake on the part of North Adelaide Football Club that was quite clear.”