AFL Now: Latest updates, injury lists, tribunal and team news on Wednesday ahead of round 7

The Hawks have taken a major hit at the tribunal, with one of their most versatile players set for a long sideline stint after knocking out Gryan Miers on Easter Monday.

A deeply remorseful Conor Nash will miss Hawthorn’s next four matches after the AFL tribunal found his high-level of carelessness and the severe impact of his strike on Geelong’s Gryan Miers warranted a high-end penalty.

The Hawks midfielder will miss matches against West Coast, Richmond, Melbourne and Gold Coast after failing at the AFL tribunal to have his ban reduced to three matches.

Hawthorn’s counsel had argued that Nash’s remorse and his previously unblemished record in three sports – likening him to his fellow countryman Jim Stynes – warranted a similar three-game ban handed out to his teammate Jack Scrimshaw for his strike on Essendon’s Jordan Ridley and Fremantle’s Patrick Voss for his strike on Richmond’s Nick Vlastuin.

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But the AFL tribunal dismissed these comparisons with Scrimshaw and Voss, and imposed a month-long ban on the Hawk.

Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson concluded: “We have some difficulty in understanding how Mr Nash got it so wrong here. We accept that he was not intending to strike Miers to the head, but he should have known that his forceful swing of an arm at head-height may well result in just such a strike.

“We find that the appropriate sanction is a four match suspension.”

He added: “We accept that Nash immediately realised that he had done the wrong thing and that he was – and is – remorseful.”

“We also factored in his very good record. He has not been reported before … It is clear this act is not typical of the way in which Nash plays football. We find however that the degree of carelessness here was significant.”

In providing evidence, Nash detailed how he was “genuinely remorseful and apologetic” for his action on Easter Monday, revealing he had sent Miers a text message on Tuesday.

Conor Nash will miss the next four games. Picture: Michael Klein

Hawthorn’s counsel Myles Tehan maintained: “This was not a dirty act. It was an obvious football act attempting to impact the play by tapping the ball away (which went wrong).

“He’s been playing AFL and VFL football for nine years … without a suspension. He was never suspended (from) playing rugby or Gaelic football. In a long career in not his native sport, we say it’s significant.

“Nash’s impeccable record does call to mind the famously impeccable record of another Irishman, Mr. Jim Stynes.”

Nash told the tribunal he simply “got it wrong” and had no intention of harming Miers, apologising on the field and also in the rooms to Miers’ teammates after the game.

“I remember it was a boundary throw-in, I distinctly remember the ball coming off the ruckman’s hands,” Miers said. “I saw a Geelong player coming through. I didn’t know who it was. I tried to knock it free. I was looking at the footy all the time.

“I knew my arm had hit something, then I heard the whistle and knew it was my bicep. I saw Gryan on the ground. I remember I put my hand up to say ‘I got that one wrong’.

“I’m very remorseful for the incident. I was simply trying to make a play on the ball and I just got it badly wrong.”

Nash revealed he had spoken to Miers’ teammates Tom Stewart and Tom Atkins after the game and used his friendship with one of Geelong’s Irish players Mark O’Connor to try to communicate with Miers on Tuesday.

In part, he told Miers: “Firstly, I just want to check in on how you’ve pulled up today. Hopefully not too bad and (you) can get back on track soon. I’m also reaching out to let you know there really wasn’t any malice to that hit.

“I tried to play the ball and I just got it badly wrong. Yes, I do try playing the game with a physical presence, but not in that spirit.

“(I’m) very sorry for what’s happened and all the circus around it. Hopefully it’s just a week for you and you’re right to go. All the best for the rest of the season. Go well. Cheers, Conor.’”

Nash’s counsel had argued recent three-game penalties for Scrimshaw Voss were not dissimilar to Nash’s clash with Miers.

But AFL counsel Andrew Woods strongly disagreed, saying the AFL saw this as a more significant strike.

Woods said a four-game penalty was warranted given it had a higher level of carelessness than the other two cases and that there was “no prospect of gaining possession or spoiling the ball in any way”.

Originally published as AFL Now: Latest updates, injury lists, tribunal and team news on Wednesday ahead of round 7