Tristan Xerri, Zac Bailey bans upheld at AFL tribunal, Adam Cerra fined for umpire contact

In a big night at the AFL tribunal, Adam Cerra escaped suspension in a bizarre case before the panel threw out North Melbourne’s Tristan Xerri challenge in just 20 minutes.

North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri’s All-Australian dreams have suffered a major blow with the AFL Tribunal upholding a three-week striking ban.

Xerri was hoping to get his hit on Melbourne’s Tom Sparrow, which left him unconscious near the end of Sunday’s game, downgraded from careless conduct to a football accident.

But the tribunal only took 20 minutes to throw out the challenge which will see the North big man sidelined for matches against Sydney, Geelong and St Kilda.

The Kangaroos tried to argue that Melbourne defender Christian Salem’s action in pushing North captain Jy Simpkin into the back of Sparrow at the boundary throw-in had propelled him at Xerri quicker than he expected.

Tristan Xerri’s ban for this strike has been upheld

Xerri gave evidence saying it was his job to follow up ruck contests with physical pressure.

“That’s my game and that’s what I get paid to do,” he said.

“I know I can’t just go around swinging arms and hitting people intentionally. I know you’ve got to tackle with the duty of care now and the responsibility for other players.

“I felt like by hitting his body I would be able to cause enough pressure to create the spillage of the ball. I work in a shoebox for a living. I’d go to 100 of these contests a game.

“He (Sparrow) would’ve waltzed to the front of the stoppage … I get picked to play for this team because my coaches and teammates know I’m going to bring the pressure and the rough component. I didn’t have any other option.”

North emphasised Xerri didn’t use a swinging arm which made his case different to Hawthorn’s Conor Nash who concussed Geelong’s Gryan Miers in a similar incident and copped a four-match suspension.

Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson described Xerri’s action as a “forceful blow”.

“Xerri’s attempt was likely to cause high, forceful contact with Sparrow,” Gleeson said. “It was argued Xerri could not reasonably have anticipated that Sparrow would be pushed forward as a result of a push by Salem and then Simpkin on Sparrow.

“We find he was likely to collect Sparrow high regardless of these pushes. In any event, the fact that a player may change his position to some extent in these circumstances is reasonably foreseeable.

“If you swing an arm with some momentum at head height towards an oncoming player, it is reasonably foreseeable you will strike them high.”

Xerri had been putting together another excellent season which had him in the discussion for All-Australian honours alongside Gawn, Fremantle’s Luke Jackson and Sydney’s Brodie Grundy.

Blues win back $750 as Cerra escapes suspension

– Matthew Forrest

Adam Cerra has been hit with a hefty $5500 fine for his latest careless umpire contact charge, but he will be free to face Melbourne on Saturday night.

Cerra faced a potential suspension after the AFL announced mid-season that a fourth charge within a two-year window would trigger a tribunal hearing to determine the punishment.

The Carlton midfielder made contact with the umpire while tussling with Brisbane’s Lachie Neale at the stoppage, turning his back on the contest as Neale tried to break free.

The umpire was floored but play continued, with Cerra coming under scrutiny once the game was over.

Adam Cerra makes contact with the umpire on Friday night

It was the first tribunal hearing for such offences, having been a mid-season change to the rules surrounding umpire contact.

The number of incidents have grown in recent years, prompting the change at AFL level.

If the contact, or the number of offences was significant enough, the AFL could push for a suspension as a deterrent.

But despite facing a week on the sidelines, Cerra was told the tribunal was only seeking a fine of $6,250.

Carlton pushed for a reduced $5000 fine, saying Cerra would have likely challenged previous offences if he knew of an incoming crackdown on umpire contact.

Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson KC says the hearing provides “very clear notice to players that players who repeatedly commit the offence of careless contact with an umpire will not necessarily benefit from an incrementally increased fine, or indeed that a fine will always be the appropriate sanction”.

Star Lion’s ban stands

Brisbane star Zac Bailey will miss a blockbuster clash with the Western Bulldogs after his one-match ban was upheld.

Bailey came under scrutiny for a bump on Carlton’s Nick Haynes, which was viewed as medium impact rather than low.

But Brisbane said the bump was to the body with just minimal incidental impact to the head, but the league viewed it as an incident that had the potential to cause injury.

Zac Bailey will miss this weekend’s game against the Bulldogs. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Brisbane compared the incident to seven other incidents from earlier in the season that were graded as low impact, which Bailey’s case “comfortably sits within”.

But the Lions will be without their star forward after failing to overturn the suspension, with the tribunal confirming the impact would remain at medium.

It leaves Brisbane without one of its most damaging and in-form forwards for a pivotal clash against another finals aspirant.

Bailey has booted goals in seven of his last nine games, including a five-goal haul against Port Adelaide.

He also kicked an inaccurate 1.4 against Carlton while also collecting 21 disposals.

Originally published as Tristan Xerri, Zac Bailey bans upheld at AFL tribunal, Adam Cerra fined for umpire contact