AFL Daily: Jeremy Cameron suspended for five weeks for hit on Harris Andrews

JEREMY Cameron said it was never his intention to hurt Harris Andrews but was found guilty of intentional conduct anyway by the AFL Tribunal after a hit that left the Brisbane defender with an 8mm brain hemorrhage.

GIANTS star Jeremy Cameron has been hit with a five-week suspension for his severe and high strike on young Lion Harris Andrews.

In a debilitating blow to Greater Western Sydney’s finals hopes, the tribunal took 32 minutes to decide the 25-year-old was guilty of the intentional hit that left Andrews with an 8mm brain hemorrhage. Cameron pleaded not guilty to intentionally striking Andrews, and tried to argue that the hit was careless. FREE KICK LADDER: WHERE DOES YOUR CLUB RANK? INJURY LIST: WHO IS HURT AT YOUR CLUB? But the tribunal dismissed the argument and found Cameron guilty of the more significant charge. “I feel really sorry for what’s happened,” the Giants forward said in his evidence. “It was never in my intention to hurt Harris the way I did. I was doing what I did what I do on a number of occasions throughout the game. “I’m deeply sorry with how it all played out.” The tribunal was also provided with text messages exchanged between the pair on Sunday. “I feel sick at the thought of how everything panned out,” Cameron wrote in one. “It’s all a bit of a blur. I’m really sorry it happened and you couldn’t play out the game. I hope there is no serious damage. You’re going to be a champion mate.” Andrews responded positively and that he was “feeling a bit better”. After the hearing, Cameron – who elected to fly to Melbourne to front the tribunal rather than appear via video link, as is often the case with interstate players – was visibly remorseful. “I didn’t mean to hurt Harris,” he said. “Unfortunately I did. I’m very sorry for that, and I hope he gets back to playing football very soon.” But he refused to be drawn on whether he believed five weeks was appropriate. “I think it was a fair hearing,” he said. “My main concern is around Harris and his family. I’m sure it caused them a lot of stress over the past few days. I’m looking forward to seeing him back on the field where he belongs.” Harris, 21, also suffered significant chest wall pain and will be reassessed by a neurosurgeon in two weeks’ time before any call on a return to football is made. Cameron argued that his elbow had been raised in an attempt to spoil but that at the last minute he had braced for contact and turned his “head and neck and body” to protect himself in anticipation of a collision with Andrews. The AFL had asked for a six-week suspension, while the Giants argued that four weeks would be appropriate. The Giants will be without Cameron until Round 20. The Giants - who are already without injured key quartet Toby Greene, Rory Lobb, Brett Deledio and Tom Scully - will be without Cameron until Round 20, with the forward to miss crunch games against Hawthorn, West Coast, Richmond and Port Adelaide. RECAP TONIGHT’S TRIBUNAL HEARING AND ALL TODAY’S AFL NEWS IN THE BLOG BELOW