Geelong champ Gary Ablett has been handed his first-ever suspension by the AFL's match review officer, but the Cats are poised to challenge the ban. RECAP MONDAY'S FOOTY NEWS
Geelong is almost certain to fight the first suspension of Gary Ablett’s decorated career at the tribunal on Tuesday night.
Cats’ chiefs will meet tomorrow morning to confirm they will challenge - on the grounds of intent - his one-match ban for striking Essendon midfielder Dylan Shiel with a clumsy elbow.
The suspension threatens to thwart the champion midfielder’s hopes of winning a third Brownlow Medal after surging from $151 to $41 with TAB over a red-hot month.
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Cats’ officials believe any suggestion the champion midfielder intentionally struck Shiel in the win on Sunday is absurd, given his impeccable tribunal record over 328 games.
Ablett, 34, has one of the cleanest reputations in football, having never before been charged for striking or banned in 18 years.
Geelong’s defence is also likely to zero in on the fact that the eight-time All-Australian first made contact with his left hand to Shiel’s mouth, rather than his right forearm and elbow.
Former Western Bulldogs’ great Lindsay Gilbee was among a number of past players to question the finding, labelling the verdict a “putrid decision”.
But match review officer Michael Christian graded the incident as intentional conduct on the basis Ablett jumped off the ground and raised his forearm towards Shiel’s head, after the Bomber handballed off to a teammate.
Shiel stayed on the ground for up to 15 seconds as his Essendon teammates briefly remonstrated with Ablett.
The incident was also graded high contact and low impact. It was consistent with the verdict delivered after similar incidents between James Cousins on Sam Petrevski-Seton a fortnight ago, Dylan Grimes on Jamie Elliott, Nat Fyfe on Levi Greenwood and Jack Graham on Dayne Zorko.
Christian was adamant Ablett’s faultless record had no bearing on his verdict, saying all incidents were judged in isolation.
“The guidelines talk about the fact that a raised forearm is usually consistent that a strike is intentional,” Christian said.
“In this particular case, Gary’s forearm was raised, he jumped off the ground and he made contact with Dylan Shiel.”
Asked if it was a clear-cut verdict, Christian said: “Nothing is ever clear-cut, there is lots of grey in lots of things, and it takes time to consider all aspects, but we feel like we have come to the right conclusion.”
The tribunal has twice overturned decisions against Collingwood’s Mason Cox and Richmond’s Dustin Martin already this season.
Ablett will miss Sunday’s clash against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium if the expected challenge is unsuccessful.
Geelong coach Chris Scott said the force of the blow was minimal, pointing out that Shiel was uninjured in the incident.
“He (Shiel) didn't just play out the game, he played pretty well,” Scott said.
“He played out the next two seconds without any problems, it was significant as insignificant force can get I would've thought.
“I've had a bit of a look at it. What we have now is a really clear chart which is easy to get guidance from. That gives me comfort but there's still a bit of interpretation there, isn't there?"
Western Bulldogs’ forward Billy Gowers is free to play Brisbane at Ballarat on Saturday after he was given a $1000 misconduct fine for head butting Grimes on Saturday night.
LAUREN WOOD reports …
Geelong is tipped to fight Gary Ablett's one-week suspension at the AFL Tribunal tomorrow night.
The Herald Sun understands that a QC will consider the case tonight, with a final call to be made tomorrow morning.
It's expected the Cats will challenge the ban, with the focus likely to centre on the conduct grading (intentional or careless).
Ablett does not risk an extra week penalty by challenging, but the club, if the challenge is unsuccessful, faces a $10,000 cost.
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JUST IN: Geelong champ Gary Ablett has been offered a one-match suspension.
Ablett was reported after collecting Shiel high with a glancing elbow in the first term.
Today, AFL MRO Michael Christian graded the clash intentional, high contact and low impact, resulting in a 1-week suspension.
Shiel was paid a free-kick and was not hurt in the incident.
“It was definitely worth a free kick but not enough force (for a suspension),” Wayne Carey said on Triple M.
“At worst a fine. (It was) Clumsy. He’s a ballplayer, Gary Ablett.”
JUST IN: Geelong champ Gary Ablett has been offered a one-match suspension.
Ablett was reported after collecting Shiel high with a glancing elbow in the first term.
Today, AFL MRO Michael Christian graded the clash intentional, high contact and low impact, resulting in a 1-week suspension.
Shiel was paid a free-kick and was not hurt in the incident.
“It was definitely worth a free kick but not enough force (for a suspension),” Wayne Carey said on Triple M.
“At worst a fine. (It was) Clumsy. He’s a ballplayer, Gary Ablett.”
JAY CLARK reports …
Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn has opened up on the emergency surgery he had to remove a boil on his leg in the lead up to Round 1.
Gawn went under the knife to remove the boil and combat an infection in his leg.
Three days later, the superstar was heavily criticised for delivering a “shocker” of a performance in the Round 1 loss to Port Adelaide at the MCG.
Port Adelaide physically and verbally targeted Gawn, who has since become the No. 1 player in the game after seven rounds, according to Champion Data.
Speaking about the compromised build-up for the first time, Gawn said the emergency surgery left him a little bit “cooked” for the Power game.
“I had a ‘Susan Boyle’ on my leg, which was causing a bit of an issue,” Gawn said on Triple M.
“I got rushed into emergency which was quite embarrassing because there were people being taken in in the back of an ambulance.
“I was there with a boil on my leg and I got put in front of them, (because) our docs have got some high-up contacts at the Epworth Hospital.
“I got put in and I got knocked out (anaesthetized).
“It was a small-ish recovery and I was able to train in that time (before Saturday’s game).
“It was a 30 degrees come game day and in hindsight I was probably cooked from the week.
“I’ve still got a little scar, it was an eventful week for me.”
Robbo answers your questions on this week's Tackle, highlighting an exchange between Chad Wingard and Hawthorn's senior players, explaining why Scott Pendlebury isn't in this week's 'likes' and suggesting a surprise All-Australian candidate.
Watch below and every Monday at facebook.com/supercoach
Last-placed Sydney is hopeful superstar Lance Franklin will return from a hamstring injury in Friday night’s AFL clash with Essendon.
Swans coach John Longmire says Franklin, who has missed their past two games, has started running and will aim to train on Wednesday night. Longmire will be forced to make at least one change, with Harry Cunningham to spend at least a month on the sidelines because of the torn adductor he suffered in the loss to Brisbane.
– AAP
Geelong forward Gary Rohan says it "really hurt" how Sydney handled his trade to the Cats after nine years at the club.
Rohan had a difficult 2018 where he and wife Amie lost one of their twin daughters to a rare condition before Sydney proposed a move to Geelong.
But what was most upsetting was when Sydney claimed Rohan, who grew up in Cobden, had requested a trade home last month for family reasons.
Rohan said it was the Swans' decision to part ways.
“It was pretty weird,” Rohan told Channel 7.
“Obviously nine years there. I felt like pretty much, ‘There’s the door, see you later.’
"I’m not sure if it was just because of injuries and everything that was happening, but it was pretty hard at the time.
“What really annoyed me was when the trade and that all happened they came out and said, ‘He wanted to go back for family reasons and that kind of stuff.’
"It really hit me and my wife pretty hard. Obviously they couldn’t say ‘We wanted to trade him’. But that really hurt. Obviously being at the club for nine years.”
Rohan has kicked 16 goals after seven games for the Cats this season, nine more than last year's tally from 11 games.
A “pretty sore’’ Crows co-captain Taylor Walker has declared himself a certain starter for Showdown 46 on Saturday while joking that Port Adelaide has an “unfair’’ advantage in the battle of two 4-3 teams.
Walker — the leading goalkicker in Showdowns with 39 — admitted he was “sore and a little bit tired’’ after playing in what he described as one of the most physically taxing games he has endured against Fremantle at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night.
He and his Adelaide teammates have just six days between games to prepare for the derby while the Power has eight, having lost to Collingwood last Friday night.
Power co-captain Ollie Wines said his team should be fresher because of its extended break but wasn't sure whether it would be a big advantage.
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Tim Michell
Here's one Twitter account Carlton fans won't want to follow this year.
The Carlton/Crows pick swap update account posted for the first time on December 22 last year after Blues forward Mitch McGovern was injured in pre-season and has become more active in recent weeks.
In the past month, it has provided about 20 updates on the state of the swap, which took place via a live trade in last year's AFL national draft.
Carlton and Adelaide swapped their first-round picks in this year's draft, while the Blues received pick No.19 and snapped up Morris Medal winner Liam Stocker.
Stocker made his debut for Carlton on Sunday against North Melbourne, starting his career with 10 disposals in the Blues' 58-point defeat.
Carlton's sixth loss in seven rounds left the club 17th on the ladder – ahead of only Sydney – while Adelaide climbed to sixth with a 4-3 record after its victory against Fremantle.
As it stands, the Crows would play finals and have access to one of the best young players in the country at the national draft – likely one of highly-rated Oakleigh Chargers pair Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.
Carlton would have pick 13 if Adelaide finished sixth, regardless of whether it stays in the bottom two.
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Chris Scott has moved into the world of finance, joining a Geelong based company in a new role.