Weeroona Bay Football Club player Richard Green deregistered after alleged on-field assault of opponent
A FOOTBALL player has been deregistered after copping a six-week ban for allegedly knocking an opponent out during a behind-the-play incident during an A-grade game on the Eyre Peninsula.
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A FOOTBALL player has been deregistered after copping a six-week ban for allegedly knocking an opponent out during a behind-the-play incident during an A-grade game on the Eyre Peninsula.
On Tuesday night, the Whyalla Football League tribunal banned Weeroona Bay Football Club player Richard Green for six games for his conduct in the club’s match against Roopena Football Club on April 29.
Roopena player Ben Auld, 22, was knocked unconscious about 60m off the play.
Auld was unconscious for about a minute before being stretchered off the field and taken to Whyalla Hospital.
On May 2, the tribunal found the Tigers player not guilty, despite the umpire’s report stating an assault did occur.
But league treasurer Keith Sichler said the tribunal made the decision with only two sitting members, which made it “unconstitutional”.
He said the tribunal reconvened on May 9 with three new members — excluding the two members involved in the original decision — and found Green guilty of the conduct, suspending him for six games.
The six-week ban was added to his career total, which trigger his deregistration.
“The league will support the decision of the tribunal, which is an independent body,” Mr Sichler said.
Roos president Stuart Wood — who was disappointed with the tribunal’s first decision — said he was “more comfortable” with the second decision.
After the incident, Auld’s father, Robert Auld, told The Advertiser that violence in sport was not acceptable and needed to be thwarted.
He called for violence to be rubbed out.
“If this happened out the front of a pub, it would have been regarded as a coward punch,” he said.
“But it seems, if you have a (sports) jumper on, you’re exempt from the law.”
After the second decision, he said he and his son were relieved the trubinal had imposed the six-week ban.
“We both hope that the Whyalla Football League will take appropriate action for any such future incidents so hopefully football can be played in the spirit it was intended,” he said.
“Football is the winner and I hope all clubs play hard and fair and enjoy a quiet drink together after the games.”
Umpires co-ordinator Paul Trussell said he was thankful the incident was noticed by the umpire on the day.
Green did not wish to comment.
The incident was reported to police on April 30 and police are still investigating. An SA Police spokesman said officers were still obtaining witness statements.
