AFL 2021: GWS Giants defender Sam Reid offered ban for high bump on Fremantle star Nat Fyfe

Match review officer Michael Christian has used behind-the-goals vision to make a crucial call in his verdict on the bump that flattened Nat Fyfe.

Nat Fyfe in the hands of trainers after being bumped in the head by Giant Sam Reid. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The AFL has used behind-the-goals vision to determine whether GWS defender Sam Reid elected to bump or brace himself in the collision which concussed Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe.

Match review officer Michael Christian on Monday handed down a two-match ban to Reid for the heavy bump, which floored Fyfe at a stoppage in the Dockers’ win on Sunday.

Christian used vision from the extra camera angle to help track Reid’s movements, which showed the Giant deviate away from his own man and step towards Fyfe before contact was made.

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The vision was a crucial factor in the Reid case as it showed the Giant make a slight change of direction towards Fyfe.

GWS will seriously consider lodging an appeal on Tuesday morning on the basis Reid was trying to protect himself and brace for contact rather than picking off Fyfe as part of a malicious hit on the Brownlow medallist.

But what counted against Reid was the fact that he was moving at the time of the collision rather than bracing for contact in a stationary position.

Nat Fyfe was subbed off after the hit from Sam Reid.

If Reid was standing still and bracing for contact rather than moving around to his right towards Fyfe, he may have been able to avoid a two-match suspension which will see him miss games against Melbourne and Collingwood.

“We determined that Sam elected to bump and one of the reasons for that was that he was on the move and made that decision to bump rather than being in a stationary or near-fixed position,” Christian said.

“We had a long discussion around the conduct and whether it was a bump but the vision made available to us supported the decision that it was an election to bump.”

The incident was graded as careless conduct, high contact and high impact, resulting in a two-match ban.

Fyfe was momentarily knocked out from the collision but was able to gather himself and walk to the bench. The Dockers’ matchwinner did not take any further part in the game as the Dockers won comfortably by 31 points in Perth.

It loomed as an important test case for the MRO as Reid appears to have eyes for the ball when he made contact with his shoulder to Fyfe’s head.

If the Giants take the case to the AFL tribunal Reid could try and convince the tribunal members it was a complete accident rather than an intentional hit.

It is the second week in a row the AFL has handed down a key verdict on a contentious bump case.

Patrick Dangerfield’s bump on Crow Jake Kelly was graded as severe impact, resulting in a three-match ban, because the Geelong superstar was moving at greater speed and hit Kelly with more force than Reid’s bump on Fyfe.

The verdict serves to reinforce the risks of bumping in the AFL with coaches warning their players to try avoid laying any bump which could make unintended head contact.

The league is desperate to help try and limit the number of concussions in the game after beefing up its protocols including a mandatory 12-day stand down after a concussion diagnosis.

North Melbourne hard nut Ben Cunnington will make his return from a concussion to play his first game of the season in the Good Friday clash against Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.