Tribunal 2022: AFL apologises to Lance Franklin as Swans lash out over legal counsel’s ‘cowardly’ comment

Sydney’s boss has responded in the wake of the AFL legal counsel’s extraordinary decision to label his star Lance Franklin ‘cowardly’ in a fiery tribunal hearing.

Lance Franklin is challenging his ban for striking Trent Cotchin. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Sydney has lashed the AFL over “very unfair” comments directed towards superstar forward Lance Franklin during a heated tribunal hearing which resulted in an unusual backtrack by the league.

The Swans made known that they “weren’t happy” after AFL legal counsel Andrew Woods used the term “cowardly” to describe Franklin’s strike on Richmond’s Trent Cotchin during a tribunal hearing on Wednesday night.

Franklin had his one-match suspension for striking Cotchin upheld and will miss Saturday night’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG.

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The league contacted Sydney and Franklin to apologise for the comments on Thursday, before releasing a statement that said there were in fact “no cowardly players in the AFL, let alone Lance Franklin”.

Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham told News Corp the league had done the right thing in recognising their error, after tribunal hearing comments which were clearly out of line.

The AFL has apologised to Lance Franklin after his actions were labelled cowardly.

“They knew the whole thing overstepped the mark and I think they did the right thing,” Pridham said.

“It was a very unfortunate choice of words and I don’t think it’s reflective of Lance – or fair. I think it was very unfair to him and it’s important that when that happens, we do call it out.

“I think it’s just a timely reminder that there shouldn’t be too much colourful language used. They are there to present evidence. They’ve got to prosecute their case and we can defend our case but there’s no need for denigrating greats of the game.”

Pridham said that while the presenting of cases was generally well planned, he took the AFL at “face value” that the use of the “cowardly” comment was not pre-prepared.

“The AFL own whatever their counsel says. That’s the way it works,” he said.

“They said it was not a planned word, but by referencing that it maybe got a little bit out of hand.”

Richmond refused to comment on the tribunal hearing when contacted on Thursday, after Cotchin himself was called out by the Swans’ own legal counsel, Duncan Miller SC, for “exaggerating” the contact made to his chin by Franklin.

Miller went on to suggest that Cotchin might get an invite to this year’s Logies.

The Swans have not issued a formal apology of their own over those comments, but Pridham conceded that neither Franklin nor Cotchin deserved to be personally attacked.

“Lance is a great player, Cotchin’s a great player and I don’t think there should be any questions about that at all,” he said.

The AFL acknowledged in its apology statement that “rhetorical flourishes of the nature used by both counsel … should not be part of the AFL tribunal process”.

Lance Franklin is challenging his ban for striking Trent Cotchin. Picture: Phil Hillyard

SWANS LAWYERS DELIVER COTCHIN ‘LOGIES’ SLEDGE

Glenn McFarlane

Lance Franklin’s bid to overturn a one-match striking ban has failed at the AFL tribunal with the Sydney superstar forward ruled out of Saturday night’s MCG clash with reigning premier Melbourne.

In a lengthy and at times tense hearing, the AFL tribunal dismissed Sydney’s challenge over Franklin’s ban for striking Richmond veteran Trent Cotchin last Friday night, finding: “It is clear the (Franklin) act was one of striking and not pushing … It was swift and direct.”

It came as Swans legal counsel Duncan Miller SC accused Cotchin of “exaggerating” his reaction, even suggesting he might be getting an invitation to the Logies this year.

That claim was rejected by the AFL tribunal who ruled that Cotchin’s reaction was a natural response, given the force of Franklin’s blow.

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The Swans tried to challenge the MRO assessment of Franklin’s strike as intentional, saying it was careless. They argued it was an open hand push instead of a low impact strike.

“There’s a wry smile on Mr Cotchin’s face (after the incident),” Miller said of Cotchin’s reaction. “The movement is not consistent with the contact. It is exaggerated.”

“I am tempted to say he (Cotchin) might be invited to the Logies and not the Brownlow this year.”

Miller’s comments came in response to AFL legal counsel Andrew Woods’ assertion that Cotchin’s immediate reaction indicated his shock at the nature of Franklin’s strike.

He said the Tigers midfielder could not be accused of “hamming it up”, saying Franklin “lashed out with three actions, all the while keeping a steady and angry gaze on Cotchin.”

“He wanted to hit him and he did hit him.”

He claimed only an “an element of luck” prevented any serious injury occurring.

“It’s precisely what AFL players should know not to do,” Woods said of the Franklin incident.

“There’s kids watching, families watching. It’s cowardly. The opposing player isn’t expecting that to happen to them. It’s not Fight Club or some combat sport.”

Sydney’s Lance Franklin lashes out at Richmond's Trent Cotchin on Friday night. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The AFL tribunal found that “Cotchin’s head jerks back spontaneously and markedly in immediate and natural response to the forceful contact to the jaw. The vision reveals sufficiently that Mr Franklin intended to strike Mr Cotchin.”

“He was looking directly at him and was upset at having been forcefully blocked when he was watching the ball. His response was spontaneous and intentional.”

When asked by Miller whether he had any intention of striking Cotchin, Franklin said: “No way would I ever do that (hit Cotchin high) … you are going to miss games of football and it is not in the spirit of the game.”

Franklin said he was unaware the incident had become a talking point until Swans coach John Longmire approached him after the game.

Cotchin’s head reels backwards after the Franklin contact.

Cotchin grabs at his jaw.

Miller unsuccessfully argued: “There’s no clenched fist, no flexing, no turning of the body or raising of the body to deliver a strike. It was glancing contact.”

On cross examination from Woods, Franklin did not accept that Cotchin had been “getting under his skin” leading up to the incident.

“I’m not sure what either of us were thinking. My eyes were on the ball when he bumped me,” Franklin said.

The Swans tabled several past examples of strikes with clenched fists in their submission – including incidents involving Rhys Mathieson, Gary Rohan and Sam Docherty – but the tribunal found the force of Franklin’s blow was “noticeably greater” than the others.

Originally published as Tribunal 2022: AFL apologises to Lance Franklin as Swans lash out over legal counsel’s ‘cowardly’ comment