Dylan Shiel to challenge two-match suspension for high bump, while Port consider Ebert challenge
The Bombers will fight Dylan Shiel’s ban, while Port Adelaide is also considering challenging Brad Ebert’s suspension. And Saint Ben Long will learn his fate after a big bump on Sean Darcy. It’s set to be a long night at the AFL Tribunal.
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Essendon will challenge Dylan Shiel’s two-game suspension for rough conduct at the tribunal on Tuesday night.
The Bombers want the high impact assessment of Shiel’s bump on North Melbourne youngster Curtis Taylor downgraded and their argument will be graded by the Roos’ favourable medical report.
Taylor returned to the field but was sent for an MRI scan on Monday to determine whether he suffered a facial fracture.
Match review officer Michael Christian also handed a one-match suspension to Port Adelaide midfielder Brad Ebert for his bump on GWS wingman Harry Perryman.
While Christian graded both incidents as careless and high contact, he considered Shiel’s as high impact and Ebert’s medium.
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Christian said he took into account the Kangaroos’ medical report on Taylor that was available on Sunday and the tribunal would make the ultimate call.
“We obviously moved to a point where we’re giving determinations within 24 hours of games being played – that’s what the industry and clubs wanted – and we can only go on the evidence we have at the time,” Christian said.
“We took into account the medical report, the player reaction in that he went for concussion testing … and looked at the potential to cause (injury), which talk about significant force and player momentum.”
Even if the Bombers successfully argue that the collision was medium impact – instead of high impact – Shiel would still miss Friday night’s clash against Western Bulldogs, and be ruled ineligible for this year’s Brownlow Medal.
That ruling would probably see Shiel’s suspension halved, enabling him to return in Round 8.
The Bombers would need to argue that Shiel’s hit was low impact for him to be cleared to play this week, and remain in the Brownlow Medal race.
Losing Shiel would be a mighty blow for the Bombers’ midfield with captain Dyson Heppell (ankle) and burst player Jake Stringer (ankle) also injured.
It will be a busy night for the tribunal with St Kilda’s Ben Long sent straight to a remote hearing for his bump on Fremantle’s Sean Darcy, deemed to be severe impact.
Christian believed in the cut and thrust of their games, Shiel, Ebert and Long all intended to bump fairly, which was why their acts were deemed careless, rather than intentional.
“Most of the talk this year has been about tackles but bumps have obviously been in the news this week,” he said.
St Kilda’s Long has been sent to the tribunal for the bump that concussed Darcy, where the AFL will argue for a suspension of three or more games.
Long moved past the ball to take down Darcy, and while players are allowed to bump five metres from the ball they must accept the consequences.
His hit floored Darcy and took him out of the ball, with Long handed the suspension for the bump of severe force and careless intent.
Long has a long list of suspensions including bans NTFL, VFL, TAC Cup and school football.
It came after North Melbourne premiership player David King called on the AFL to crack down on dangerous bumps given the spectre of a concussion lawsuit in our game.
St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall was handed a $1000 fine for striking Fremantle’s Nathan Wilson in an incident assessed as low impact and careless.
Adelaide’s Brad Crouch can accept a $500 sanction for misconduct against West Coast’s Nic Naitanui.
Perryman (striking, $1000) and Richmond duo Marlion Pickett (rough conduct, $1000) and Jayden Short ($500, misconduct) can all accept fines with early pleas.
GWS defender Aidan Corr was not sanctioned for pushing Todd Marshall’s head into the turf
PORT CONSIDER EBERT CHALLENGE
Matt Turner, Liz Walsh
Port Adelaide will decide on Tuesday morning if it will challenge veteran Brad Ebert’s one-game suspension for rough conduct.
Match review officer Michael Christian handed down the ban after deeming Ebert’s bump on Harry Perryman during the first quarter of the Power’s 17-point win on Sunday to be careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Perryman got up shortly after the bump and played the rest of the game.
Port senior assistant Michael Voss said the incident, which would ensure Ebert missed Sunday’s match against Carlton at the Gabba if the ban was accepted, was a split-second decision.
“He’s obviously had a play on the ball at the start of it, and has adjusted late – clearly, there’s been a lot of focus on that,” Voss said.
Christian believed in the cut and thrust of the game, Ebert intended to bump fairly, but did not execute it correctly.
“When you don’t (bump fairly), there’s an issue,” he said.
Christian chose not to sanction GWS defender Aidan Corr for pushing Todd Marshall’s head into the turf after seeing different angles of the incident.
He said footage showed Marshall had grabbed Corr’s left arm and dragged it beneath him, before pulling the Giants player down.
“I must admit my first reaction was of concern, but when I examined the footage and we were able to determine what happened, we decided it wasn’t a reportable offence,” he said.
“Aidan put his hand on Todd’s head and we saw what happened, but we decided the circumstances that led into that incident meant it was not reportable.”
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Originally published as Dylan Shiel to challenge two-match suspension for high bump, while Port consider Ebert challenge