Warragul’s Tom Hobbs cleared of striking Sale’s Shannen Lange

The Gippsland league tribunal has sat in judgment of an incident that forced Sale star Shannon Lange from ground. See the verdict.

Warragul’s Tom Hobbs is free to play on Saturday after being found not guilty of striking Sale star Shannon Lange in the Gippsland league last round.

Lange took no further part in the game when he received accidental high contact to his right eye from Hobbs in the second term.

Hobbs wasn’t reported at the time of the incident, but during the halftime break he was booked for striking and handed a yellow card that meant Warragul was down to 17 players at the start of the third quarter.

The GFL match review officer graded the incident as high contact with medium impact.

Hobbs was offered a one-match penalty with an early guilty plea, but Warragul went to the tribunal on Wednesday night and was successful in having its player cleared.

Lange plans to play against Drouin on Saturday.

Sale coach Jack Johnstone. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

But Sale will be without playing coach Jack Johnstone, who elected to take a one-match penalty with an early guilty plea for an incident that was assessed as high contact in the third term of the same match.

The umpires awarded a 50m penalty to Warragul first-year player James Harrison, but Johnstone didn’t receive a yellow-card for the high contact.

Harrison, who kicked five goals in an unforgettable third term, joined Warragul from Pakenham this season.

Despite being down one player for 15 minutes in the third term, Warragul outscored Sale seven goals to two in third term before winning by 69 points.

Warragul plays Bairnsdale at home on Saturday.

SALE STAR INJURED

Sale superstar Shannen Lange has been cleared of serious damage to his eye socket following an accidental blow from a Warragul opponent in their Gippsland league clash on Saturday.

The dual Trood Award and Rodda Medal winner took no further part in the match following the second quarter incident and went to hospital for precautionary assessments.

Sale coach Jack Johnstone said Lange planned to play next round as the Magpies aim to kickstart their faltering season with victory against Drouin, which has also made a 0-3 start to 2025.

“He was cleared of any fractures to the orbital bone,” Johnstone said.

“He’s got follow-up scans with an optometrist to see if there are any cuts on the eye.

“But he’s planning on playing this week.

“There was no malice in it at all.

“The Warragul player just stuck his hand out to tackle and Shannen stepped the other way.”

Sale's Shannen Lange is helped from the ground after copping a blow to his eye against Warragul. Picture: Warren ‘Wazshots’ Leyden

Warragul’s Tom Hobbs wasn’t reported at the time of the incident, but was booked during the halftime break and sent from the ground at the start of the third term.

The incident was graded as high contact with medium impact and Hobbs can take a one-match penalty with an early guilty plea.

Warragul can also contest the charge at the tribunal.

Deniliquin’s star recruit Cooper Willoughby hasn’t been so fortunate in dodging a long-term injury.

Scans late last week confirmed he will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee from the clash against Finley on Good Friday.

Willoughby has returned to the Murray league club from Echuca and kicked 12 goals in the opening two rounds.

Jydon Neagle has been grounded with a calf injury at his new club South Mildura. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

New South Mildura coach Jydon Neagle has been grounded with a calf injury he sustained in the pre-season.

He has missed the opening three rounds of the Sunraysia league including last Saturday’s 73-point loss to top-placed Robinvale-Euston.

South Mildura is 0-3 along with Merbein, who was coached to a flag by Neagle’s late father Merv.

Former Port Adelaide player Tom Clurey hurt his knee in his second outing for Goulburn Valley club Shepparton Bears on Saturday night with scans in coming days to reveal the full extent of the damage.

Clurey has played the last two matches for Shepparton due to Katamatite having back-to-back byes in the Picola District league.

Originally published as Warragul’s Tom Hobbs cleared of striking Sale’s Shannen Lange