AFL Daily: Dustin Martin offered two-week ban for head-high elbow on Giant Adam Kennedy
Richmond will challenge Dustin Martin’s two-match suspension at the tribunal tonight, with Tigers officials surprised by the severity of the penalty.
Jay Clark
2 min read
April 8, 2019 - 10:35PM
Dustin Martin has been offered a two-match ban for his high elbow on Giant Adam Kennedy.
Richmond will challenge Dustin Martin’s two-match suspension at the AFL tribunal tonight.
The Tigers were surprised the superstar onballer was outed for upcoming clashes against Port Adelaide and Sydney Swans for striking GWS Giants’ backman Adam Kennedy on Saturday.
Martin struck Kennedy with a forearm to the head about 80m behind play in the Tigers’ loss at Giants’ Stadium.
Specifically, the Tigers will try to downgrade the medium force classification to low, and will have no reservations putting the intensely shy onballer on the stand to defend his actions.
Richmond officials met at 8am this morning to discuss whether or not to appeal before announcing at midday it would challenge.
The club will argue Martin’s tangle was similar to the Dylan Grimes forearm to Jamie Elliott in Round 2, which sidelined the Richmond backman for only one week, whereas Martin was given an extra match ban for his hit.
It means the key match review finding is contested for a second week in a row after Mason Cox’s one-match ban was overturned last week.
If Richmond is successful in downgrading the charge to low force, Martin would miss only one match against the Power at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Martin was also handed a $1500 fine for striking GWS tagger Matt de Boer to the stomach in a separate incident.
Dustin Martin copped a two-match ban for his off-the-ball strike.
Match review officer Michael Christian would have deliberated long and hard over the incident as the force grading in the Martin incident does not appear to be clear-cut.
Christian classified the hit as intentional conduct and high contact and said there was also potential to cause serious injury.
Christian said the fact that the hit was so far off the play weighed against Martin.
“It certainly speaks to the intentionality of the act and I suppose from the potential to cause a more serious injury, when you are off the ball you are not in the play and that is also a significant factor,” Christian said.
Christian said he considered Kennedy’s reaction, the medical report and the look of the incident in determining the punishment.
He did not consider any provocation from Kennedy or de Boer.
Christian said the incident was worse than Grimes’s hit on Elliott from Round 2.
“Although he (Grimes) raised his elbow, I thought the Elliott injury — I didn’t quite think the potential to cause (serious injury was there),” Christian said.
“It was what it was, the impact to Jamie Elliott was as it was.
“So there wasn’t that consideration to upgrade from a potential to cause a more serious injury.”
Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams was cleared for his late bump Eagles’ jet onballer Luke Shuey.
Fremantle forward Jesse Hogan was fined $2000 for his bump on St Kilda defender Nathan Brown.
Brown went to the bench for a concussion check but Christian graded the bump as careless conduct with low impact to the head.
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Updates
Doubt remains over Crows ruckman
Chris Vernuccio
Adelaide are bracing to again be without lead ruckman Sam Jacobs for Saturday night’s game against North Melbourne. Jacobs was sidelined last weekend because of a bruised knee and appears unlikely to recover in time to face the Kangaroos. “It doesn’t look like it but we will have to wait and see,” Adelaide assistant coach Ben Hart said. “It might be another one to two (weeks), we don’t know to be honest.
“He had scans, it is a knock to the knee, assume some sort of bruising.”
But the Crows believe Paul Seedsman could play again in a month.
The winger was initially suspected to have suffered a season-ending knee injury in a round three loss to Geelong last Thursday night. But scans revealed Seedsman had avoided damage to an anterior cruciate ligament but sustained severe bone bruising. “A little bit of damage to the knee and ligament in the outside of the knee,” Hart said of Seedsman’s diagnosis. “Bone bruising is an interesting one as to how long it can take but … maybe a month is good news.”
Swans coach backs SCG drop-in
Chris Vernuccio
Sydney coach John Longmire wants more discussion about a drop-in cricket pitch for the SCG, but any change seems unlikely in the short term.
Controversy over the state of the SCG surface flared again on Saturday when Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat labelled it dangerous after his player Terry Antonis was injured when his leg appeared to give way near the centre square.
Regular SCG tenants the Swans avoid the centre wicket area when they train on the ground but Longmire expressed no fresh reservations about the state of the ground going into Thursday’s AFL match there against Melbourne.
With the neighbouring Allianz Stadium being rebuilt, all four major football codes are this year using the SCG, which has it’s most intense schedule in over 30 years.
When the NSW Waratahs played the Queensland Reds there in early March, scrums churned up big divots and 3000 square metres of turf was subsequently re-laid.
Longmire pointed out the Swans played at other major multi-sport venues like the MCG and Adelaide Oval, where drop-in cricket pitches were used.
“With a wicket base on the ground it’s something we’ve always been mindful of, obviously we’d support a drop in wicket if that was part of the discussion,’ Longmire said.
“It’s certainly very important to discuss it, it’s a 12 months a year venue.’
“We’ve been speaking to to the SCG Trust and the AFL for a number of years in regards to that, so hopefully it’s a consideration going forward”.
Richmond star Dustin Martin is set to pay a heavy price for his high elbow on Giant Adam Kennedy after he was offered a suspension for an early guilty plea, following the Tigers' epic meltdown on the weekend.
Martin faces a two-match stint on the sidelines after the impact was graded medium impact and MRO Michael Christian said it had the potential to cause a more serious injury.
"The visual look, the player reaction, the medical report and the potential to cause more serious injury was taken into account," Christian said. He said the penalty sent a message to players that off-the-ball hits won't be tolerated. "I think that's something we've been vigilant (with), particularly when it's head contact.
"I think that's really important. Hopefully that sends a message."
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was filthy with the tactics used on Martin by GWS taggers but Christian said any aggravation the Tigers star may have copped had no bearing on his assessment of the incident. "From a match review level, we need to look at isolated incidents and make a judgment," he said.
MARTIN FACES TWO-MATCH BAN
Michael Randall
Richmond star Dustin Martin is set to pay a heavy price for his high elbow on Giant Adam Kennedy after he was offered a suspension for an early guilty plea, following the Tigers' epic meltdown on the weekend.
Martin faces a two-match stint on the sidelines after the impact was graded medium impact and MRO Michael Christian said it had the potential to cause a more serious injury.
"The visual look, the player reaction, the medical report and the potential to cause more serious injury was taken into account," Christian said. He said the penalty sent a message to players that off-the-ball hits won't be tolerated. "I think that's something we've been vigilant (with), particularly when it's head contact.
"I think that's really important. Hopefully that sends a message."
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was filthy with the tactics used on Martin by GWS taggers but Christian said any aggravation the Tigers star may have copped had no bearing on his assessment of the incident. "From a match review level, we need to look at isolated incidents and make a judgment," he said.
Top draft prospect shining in NAB League
Tim Michell
No.1 draft fancy Matt Rowell has been racking up huge numbers for NAB League club Oakleigh Chargers in the early rounds of 2019.
As Monash Leader reports, Rowell collected 29 possessions, laid a game-high 15 tackles and took six marks despite his team going down to Sandringham Dragons at the weekend.
"No matter what the numbers say, he is willing to work one-on-three, one-on-four, one-on-five and win," Chargers coach Leigh Clarke said.
Rowell collected 20 and 29 touches, respectively, in the opening two games of the season to confirm his standing as one of this year’s top prospects.
Potential No.1 draft pick Matt Rowell highlighted why he is among the best players in this year's crop with another star showing for Oakleigh Chargers: https://t.co/HiJHZj5syVpic.twitter.com/Et8U1b6vjg
Ex-AFL coach Rodney Eade has forecast Dustin Martin will tonight be suspended and miss Richmond's clash with Port Adelaide.
The Brownlow medallist is expected to come under scrutiny from match review officer Michael Christian after vision emerged of him striking Giants defender Adam Kennedy during the Tigers' 49-point loss on Saturday.
It is expected Martin will be offered either a one or two-match penalty.
"That one off the ball, where he has hit him with the elbow, if it's deemed as low impact he will get a week," Eade said.
"If (it is) medium impact he will get at least one more. I think he will be gone for a week, so that leaves the Tigers in a perilous situation."
The Tigers are set to be without their 'big four' – Alex Rance (knee), Jack Riewoldt (wrist), Martin and skipper Trent Cotchin (hamstring) – for the first time since 2009 this weekend.
👀 | Do you see similarities between Sam Mitchell's infamous 2015 'injecting' gesture and sledge against the Bombers and Dustin Martin's 'snorting' imitation against the Giants? Jack Riewoldt says it set a precedent: https://t.co/zBP9I4037bpic.twitter.com/HOwif6Dcy4
Ex-AFL coach Rodney Eade has forecast Dustin Martin will tonight be suspended and miss Richmond's clash with Port Adelaide.
The Brownlow medallist is expected to come under scrutiny from match review officer Michael Christian after vision emerged of him striking Giants defender Adam Kennedy during the Tigers' 49-point loss on Saturday.
It is expected Martin will be offered either a one or two-match penalty.
"That one off the ball, where he has hit him with the elbow, if it's deemed as low impact he will get a week," Eade said.
"If (it is) medium impact he will get at least one more. I think he will be gone for a week, so that leaves the Tigers in a perilous situation."
The Tigers are set to be without their 'big four' – Alex Rance (knee), Jack Riewoldt (wrist), Martin and skipper Trent Cotchin (hamstring) – for the first time since 2009 this weekend.
👀 | Do you see similarities between Sam Mitchell's infamous 2015 'injecting' gesture and sledge against the Bombers and Dustin Martin's 'snorting' imitation against the Giants? Jack Riewoldt says it set a precedent: https://t.co/zBP9I4037bpic.twitter.com/HOwif6Dcy4
Pressure continues to mount on the AFL to scrap the warnings given out for breaching the league’s new starting position rules.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt have joined the chorus of footy heavyweights saying the warning was unnecessary and open to exploitation
“It’s an absolute joke to have a warning,” Riewoldt said.
“Why wouldn’t you, with eight seconds left in the game, roll the dice?”
Magpies’ captain Scott Pendlebury sounded the alarm on the loophole last week when he said clubs could deliberately start an extra man in defence or forward knowing it would go undetected or unpunished for a first offence.
St Kilda received a warning late in the loss to Fremantle on Sunday, but the club was adamant it was an accidental mistake, rather than a deliberate tactic.
Buckley said clubs have already had enough time to adjust to the new starting position rules, meaning the warning had become unnecessary.
“I believe it would’ve been about a settling in period,” Buckley said on SEN.
“It would be interesting if they called around the clubs – do you think that you’ve had enough time to settle in? Because it was there for the benefit, I would’ve thought, for its infancy.
“It would be worth the call I would’ve thought, but I’m not going to be doing the AFL’s job for them.”
Should we have a ‘warning’ for 6-6-6 breach? Dunstall: “Absolutely not. Ridiculous”. NRiewoldt: “If you aren’t organised, you should be punished.” Kingy: “No mulligans in footy”. @FOXFOOTY@SP_10 said clubs could exploit it. Reckon AFL scraps it.
Buckley said it was difficult to tell if clubs were breaching the rule deliberately or by accident.
“I think part of the job of the lawmakers is to remove grey area and create rules that one, can be understood and adhered to by the players so they can actually play to the way that the lawmakers intend to be, and secondly, is for the supporters to understand that the flow of the game not to be stopped,” he said.
“If you can’t tell the difference between what’s accidental and what’s deliberate then there’s clearly something to look at there.”
For the first time this season, clubs must start six players in each of the forward 50m and defensive 50m arcs at each centre bounce.
Richmond had an extra man in defence in its Round 2 loss to Collingwood but the error was undetected by the umpires.
Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall said the warning was “ridiculous” and “absolutely not” required. Collingwood president Eddie McGuire also said the warning should go immediately.
Richmond star Jack Riewoldt isn't sure whether teammate Dustin Martin will be sanctioned by the AFL for his gesture to a GWS player on Saturday but there is precedent for him to escape penalty.
Martin flipped "the bird", delivered a foul-mouthed spray and accompanied that with a snorting motion during the loss to the Giants.
He was caught on camera, with the AFL investigating whether it should take action.
Hawthorn champion Sam Mitchell was involved in a similar sledging controversy in mid-2015 when he mimicked injecting himself as he had a crack at Essendon players over the drugs scandal.
He was not sanctioned by the AFL and Riewoldt says Martin's case is similar.
"I know the AFL are reviewing it at the moment," Riewoldt said. "But similar circumstances, or as similar as you could find, would be Sam Mitchell sledged a couple of the Essendon boys about the drugs saga maybe three or four years ago and he got off.
"I'm not sure, it's still under review from the AFL and Steve Hocking so no doubt we'll find out about that and talk about it tonight."
Triple Brisbane premiership player Jonathan Brown said Martin should be given a warning rather than a fine.
"The gesture wasn't great," Brown said on Nova100's Chrissie, Sam and Browny.
"This is the biggest problem – players get caught on video and sometimes on the audio saying stuff or doing stuff out on the field but it is part of the game.
"I would just send a warning out saying 'hey, we're not going to put up with this.' Just a little warning to Dusty, 'hey none of that, just cut it out boys'. A bit of common sense. People would be happy with that, wouldn't they?
"Do we really think they find Dusty $2000 that's really going to have an affect?"
'COULDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT': DAW TAKES BIG STEP IN RECOVERY
Kate Salemme
Majak Daw has taken another significant step in his return to football by resuming running on the training track today.
Daw ran for the first time at Arden St since he fell from the Bolte Bridge in December, with teammates, coaches, family and friends there to cheer him on.
"I'm pretty excited, I'm not going to lie, I've been waiting for this for so long," Daw told the club's website.
"Maybe I couldn't sleep last night because of this."
Daw, 28, returned to North Melbourne in February and took significant steps towards a return to playing after suffering serious hip and pelvic injuries when he ran on the Alter-G machine, an anti-gravity treadmill, last month.
He remains a long way off a return to playing but the defender is making steady progress.
"It exceeded all expectations," North Melbourne head physio Matthew Turnbull said. "We're extremely happy with what he's been able to achieve in this time but we also acknowledge that he's got a lot more steps in this rehab process to still get through before he plays."
Daw will continue his running program over the next fortnight before he transitions into more football-specific training.
"The next part of the return to running phase will continue for about two weeks – he's on a one day on, two day off approach. That will then fall into more football-specific training with the conditioning guys," Turnbull said.
"I think it's right to say we've been quite meticulous … every time we give 'Maj' a new stimulus it's followed up with a close examination of his pain, his range, his strength parameters and what they're doing and that's going to need to continue given the injuries that we've seen and also his past history of injuries too."
With former coach John Longmire watching on, a number young Swans took it up to their more experience teammates in another high-intensity four-quarter hitout. Here’s how it all played out.
Gold Coast have a new captain who is full of belief that Matt Rowell will spurn the advances of rival clubs and re-sign with the Suns beyond 2025. Plus, details on Touk Miller’s knee concern.
