SFNL: 22 weeks of suspensions handed down over past fortnight for three separate incidents

A Melbourne women’s footballer has been handed one of the biggest suspensions of the year while another player has been banned for spitting. An independent football tribunal has had enough and is dishing out some huge penalties.

Three heavy bans were handed out across the past fortnight by the Southern league’s independent tribunal.

The Southern league’s independent tribunal has come down hard on on-field player behaviour, handing out lengthy suspensions for three separate incidents over the past fortnight.

The bans total 22 weeks, with Lyndale women’s player Aurora Geminian handed a 12-week ban for striking, while a pair of men’s players in Chelsea Heights’ Nicholas Lee and top Cheltenham talent Sam Hayes were both slapped with five-week bans by the tribunal. Lee was found guilty of “spitting on or at another person”, and Hayes was charged with striking.

It is believed the female footy player who was struck by Geminian went to hospital as a result of her injuries.

It occurred in Lyndale’s round 7 clash with Murrumbeena on May 31. It is understood to have taken place on the three-quarter-time siren.

The match was played at Barry Powell Reserve, and Murrumbeena defeated Lyndale by 62 points.

Lyndale declined to comment on the investigation and tribunal hearing that took place.

Lee is set to miss rounds 11-15 following the alleged spitting incident which occurred in the round 9 Division 2 match after he was found guilty by the tribunal.

There was no footage of the alleged spitting incident which took place on June 7 against Highett at Highett Reserve, with Chelsea Heights finishing the match 30-point victors.

Chelsea Heights hadn’t appealed the decision when the 48-hour window to do so had closed, and declined to comment.

Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether an appeal will be heard for Hayes’ suspension at the time of writing.

The incident occurred late in Cheltenham’s round 9, Division 1 match on June 14.

It has been described as a spoil gone wrong, and was graded as intentional by the tribunal.

The Rosellas declined to comment.

The Southern league said it doesn’t comment on independent tribunal hearings.