AFL Daily: Gary Ablett beats charge at AFL Tribunal
Geelong champ Gary Ablett has successfully challenged a one-week suspension - what would have been his first across 328 matches - and is free to play this weekend. SEE HOW THE CATS BEAT THE CHARGE
Gary Ablett was suspended for a week for this elbow.
Gary Ablett is a free man but is $2000 lighter in the hip pocket after successfully having his striking charge downgraded.
The dual Brownlow medallist – who has never been suspended in 328 games – gave almost 30 minutes of evidence as he fought to have his one-match ban reduced, arguing that his strike on Bomber Dylan Shiel was careless rather than intentional and that he was simply attempting to minimise what he believed could have been heavy front-on contact.
The tribunal took just three minutes to deliberate, with Cats officials and Ablett sharing a round of high-fives when the news was delivered.
"Obviously (I’m) very happy with the outcome," a relieved Ablett said after the hearing.
"I've never intentionally struck anyone in my career, and I'm just really happy. It's a good result."
Gary Ablett arrives for Tuesday night's tribunal hearing.
The Geelong counsel had attempted to employ Ablett's exemplary record – which included a blemish-free junior career - in an effort to have the financial sanction waived, but the $2000 penalty for a careless, low impact and high contact stood.
He had argued that he had attempted to minimise contact with Shiel and had spun in an attempt to avoid heavy front-on contact.
"It was basically just trying to minimise the impact," Ablett said.
"We were both running at pretty quick speeds and I had to make a decision in that split second, and I tried to jump out of the way and unfortunately got him in the back of the neck and believed a free kick should have been given."
AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson had argued that Ablett could have attempted to side-step Shiel and avoid the contact.
“You might question whether a player of (Ablett's) nimble feet and dexterity couldn’t avoid this happening," he said.
But the two-time premiership player – who said he was “pretty close to top speed” at the time - maintained that the contact to “the back of (Shiel’s) neck” was a result of a spin that he said "was the only way that I was going to be able to miss him".
Gary Ablett speaks to the media after his win.
If they'd hit, he says, "then we both would have got hurt".
"My intention was to tackle him," Ablett said.
"I wanted to close down space … the game moves very quickly at times. I felt I had a split second to make a decision. My intent was never to hurt him. My intent was to get away from the contest as best as possible while making sure neither of us got hurt. I felt at the time I did a pretty good job, which I partly why I was surprised when the umpire told me I was reported."
He was adamant that his intention was never to strike Shiel and that his right forearm had been raised as a balancing mechanism.
“I didn't intentionally go to strike and I'm glad it all panned out the way it did,” he said.
Betting on the star Cat for this year's Brownlow medal had been suspended in anticipation of the hearing, with the 34-year-old currently a $41 chance with TAB of winning a third award.
Updates
VIDEO: Ablett: I'm very happy with outcome
Ben Broad
LAUREN WOOD reports …
Gary Ablett has spoken of his relief after beating his charge at the AFL tribunal.
"Obviously very happy with the outcome. I've never intentionally struck anyone in my career, and I'm just really happy. It's a good result," he said. "Yeah, I think so (it's validation of my clean record). Obviously we focused on what happened on the weekend. I didn't intentionally go to strike and I'm glad it all panned out the way it did. "It was basically just trying to minimise the impact. We were both running at pretty quick speeds and I had to make a decision in that split second, and I tried to jump out of the way and unfortunately got him in the back of the neck and believed a free kick should have been given."
"Obviously very happy with the outcome …"@GeelongCats champ Gary Ablett after successfully challenging his suspension at the AFL tribunal.
It's high-fives all-round for the Cats contingent, with Ablett clearly relieved.
The jury is back in!
The $2000 fine remains, but Gazza is free to take on North Melbourne this weekend (if the Cats don't rest him!).
Cats want fine waived
Ben Broad
LAUREN WOOD reports …
Ablett has been SUCCESSFUL in downgrading the charge to careless.
He's been found guilty of careless, low impact, high contact – usually a $2000 fine.
Cats submitting that his "exemplary record" should be taken into account & the fine waived.
The decision: Ablett is FREE TO PLAY
Ben Broad
LAUREN WOOD reports …
The AFL tribunal has downgraded Gary Ablett's charge to careless.
Only a three-minute deliberation from the tribunal jury.
LAUREN WOOD reports the assembled media has left the room.
Tribunal members Stewart Loewe, Richard Loveridge and Shane Wakelin will decide Gazza's fate.
Hearing over: AFL tribunal to deliberate
LAUREN WOOD reports the assembled media has left the room.
Tribunal members Stewart Loewe, Richard Loveridge and Shane Wakelin will decide Gazza's fate.
LAUREN WOOD reports …
The Cats say "that's all this case is about – 'what was in Gary Ablett's mind'", and that his evidence is the only thing that can show that.
"You ought to take into account his record and his character as someone who is an honest and fair player.
"Is he a person who gave detailed descriptions about what was in his mind at the relevant time? Is he a person that you believe would come before you and brush over the truth to paint himself in a better light?
"In 328 games, when he is attracting attention (of media, of opponents, of taggers), never once has this spur of the moment intent formed.
"That is a relevant factor which the guidelines say you should take into account.
"Gary has put runs on the board about the type of fair and honest player he is … that's a relevant matter."
Cats: Take Ablett's record into account
LAUREN WOOD reports …
The Cats say "that's all this case is about – 'what was in Gary Ablett's mind'", and that his evidence is the only thing that can show that.
"You ought to take into account his record and his character as someone who is an honest and fair player.
"Is he a person who gave detailed descriptions about what was in his mind at the relevant time? Is he a person that you believe would come before you and brush over the truth to paint himself in a better light?
"In 328 games, when he is attracting attention (of media, of opponents, of taggers), never once has this spur of the moment intent formed.
"That is a relevant factor which the guidelines say you should take into account.
"Gary has put runs on the board about the type of fair and honest player he is … that's a relevant matter."
LAUREN WOOD reports …
We're up to closing arguments from the AFL now, including vision of Mitch Robinson who raised an elbow and made high contact, and James Parsons on Luke Hodge.
"You might question whether a player of (Ablett's) nimble feet and dexterity couldn’t avoid this happening," AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson says.
"Neither Parsons nor Robinson, nor Ablett, decided to strike their opponent seconds out from the incident.
"A strike can be intentional if the intention is formed on the spur of the moment. Yes, things happen quickly on the football field, but these footballers are capable of refraining from striking.”
He's also reinforcing the tribunal guideline that raised forearms usually attract a grading of intentional.
"What takes this out of being an unusual case? What's exceptional about it? The answer is nothing," he says.
"Yes, it happened at speed .. you would have to be satisfied to say that this is not intentional that this is something out of the usual."
Ablett's record will only come into effect when it comes to penalty, after the panel has deliberated.
AFL: Nothing exceptional about this case
LAUREN WOOD reports …
We're up to closing arguments from the AFL now, including vision of Mitch Robinson who raised an elbow and made high contact, and James Parsons on Luke Hodge.
"You might question whether a player of (Ablett's) nimble feet and dexterity couldn’t avoid this happening," AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson says.
"Neither Parsons nor Robinson, nor Ablett, decided to strike their opponent seconds out from the incident.
"A strike can be intentional if the intention is formed on the spur of the moment. Yes, things happen quickly on the football field, but these footballers are capable of refraining from striking.”
He's also reinforcing the tribunal guideline that raised forearms usually attract a grading of intentional.
"What takes this out of being an unusual case? What's exceptional about it? The answer is nothing," he says.
"Yes, it happened at speed .. you would have to be satisfied to say that this is not intentional that this is something out of the usual."
Ablett's record will only come into effect when it comes to penalty, after the panel has deliberated.
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