North Melbourne star Ben Cunnington successfully appeals bump ban at AFL tribunal

North Melbourne gun Ben Cunnington will be free to take on Geelong this weekend after successfully appealing his one-week ban at the tribunal.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Ben Cunnington of the Kangaroos looks on during the 2021 AFL Round 03 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on April 02, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

North Melbourne midfielder Ben Cunnington is free to play this weekend after he successfully challenged a one-game suspension for a late bump on Rory Laird at the tribunal.

The tough midfielder was offered a match suspension for his late hit on Laird during the Kangaroos’ loss to Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

The hit after Laird had dished off the ball resulted in a down-field free kick and eventually a Taylor Walker goal.

It was graded as careless conduct, high contact and medium impact, with North challenging the classification of impact.

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After deliberating for more than 20 minutes, the tribunal jury decided that the bump by Cunnington was a “glancing blow” and downgraded his charge from medium to low impact.

A medical report submitted by Adelaide doctor Marc Cesana said Laird did not suffer any injury from the bump.

Ben Cunnington fends off Rory Laird during the clash — but it was his bump on the Crows onballer that saw him initially banned for a week. Picture: Getty Images

Andrew Woods, counsel assisting the tribunal, argued this shouldn’t excuse Cunnington from suspension.

“The extent of force was more than low, the jury can see the speed and direction that player Laird’s head came out of that impact,” he said.

“Both in the impact itself there is a potential to cause injury ... to only focus if there was an actual injury would be an error in my submission.

“It would indicate that players can behave in that manner and when only a player gets hurt, a more serious offence will be found against them.”

Rob O’Neil, representing Cunnington, said the North player actually had turned his back late to reduce the contact towards Laird.

“We see before the impact that player Cunnington had started to turn his back in an attempt to avoid any high contact,” he said.

O’Neil argued that Laird’s game time was not impacted after the bump, with the time he spent on the bench “a short time and a typical time”, and that he got nine AFL Coaches’ Association votes for his performance.

O’Neil also showed an incident between Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters and St Kilda’s Paddy Ryder from a match at Adelaide Oval last year in which a bump from the Power youngster left the Saints ruckman on the ground holding his head.

He said this had been assessed as low impact and so should Cunnington’s.

“That is in contrast, we would say, to this incident where when Rory Laird goes to ground; he doesn’t grab his head, he grabs his knee,” O’Neil said.

“He is more concerned about his leg at that stage.”

Cunnington will now be free to play after successfully appealing the suspension. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Woods said the incident between Butters and Ryder was a “very different situation” with a far shorter lead-up time to the bump than Cunnington had.

But the jury of Jase Johnson, Richard Loveridge and Shane Wakelin determined that the impact from Cunnington’s bump should be classified as low rather than medium – meaning the midfielder can play against Geelong this week.

Tribunal chairman Ross Howie said the key points in the jury’s reasoning were multi-faceted.

“They considered the impact of the shoulder of the player (Cunnington) to the head of the other player (Laird) was a glancing impact,” he said.

“They had regarded that no injury was sustained.

“They considered that the bump was delivered primarily to the body of the player and as a consequence of that the potential for injury was less than it would otherwise have been.”

Cunnington now just has to pay a $2000 fine, which he accepted.

MATCH REPORT: CROWS STEADY AS ROOS RUN OUT OF GAS

Adelaide have withstood a resurgent North Melbourne outfit to come away with a 41-point win in a tight contest at Marvel Stadium.

The Crows were tested by the winless Kangaroos who held a four-point lead at the final change but an eight goal to one final term saw them kick away late.

Reilly O’Brien (24 disposals, 31 hit-outs, eight marks) helped take control in the middle with the likes of Lachie Sholl (31 disposals, eight marks, one goal) and Rory Laird (31 disposals) taking full advantage of his silver-service.

North was a far cry from the side which were rolled to the tune of 128 points nine days prior as they pressured, harassed and dared to take the contest on.

However, they ran out of gas in the final-term, not being able to match the Crows’ intensity in the trenches late.

Luke McDonald (pec) and Cam Zurhaar (concussion) were forced off early, meaning the Roos were short-handed for much of the game.

The Kangaroos’ response was there from the off as they matched the Crows’ in and around the contest for much of the opening-half.

However, the difference between the two sides came at the bookends as the Roos were wasteful going forward while the Crows were ruthless — taking advantage of their limited entries to hold a 15-point lead at the half.

North Melbourne’s early wastefulness in-front of goal finally turned to gold, booting three unanswered goals as Tarryn Thomas’ second gave North a four-point lead at the final change.

It wasn’t to be for North as the Crows found another gear late in the contest, as Shane McAdam kicked three of their eight final quarter goals to seal the win.

Sholl inspires late

When it seemed as if the Crows were going to lay down, it was their second-year man who stood up to the plate.

Lachlan Sholl was superb in the final term registering 31 disposals for the game and kicking a crucial goal to help his side register a two-goal lead late in the final term.

Not only did he accumulate the ball, he also reeled in eight marks and accumulated 595 metres gained.

Jaidyn Stephenson and his teammates came up short again at Marvel Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Roos casualties mount

The casualty ward at Arden Street continues to mount by the week — especially in the back half.

With Robbie Tarrant and Aiden Corr already missing, North’s decimated key defensive stocks took a further hit before the game as Josh Walker was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Returning Syd Barker medallist Luke McDonald was thrusted into a key defensive slot playing undersized in his first game back but was subbed out in the opening term with a pec injury.

Jack Ziebell and Aiden Bonar had to fill the gaps but performed admirably against the much taller Crows’ forward line.

James Rowe (left) and Taylor Walker celebrate as the Crows get on top of the Roos.

Texan’s toughest challenge

The renaissance of Taylor Walker has been a joy to watch for not only Adelaide fans but footy fans alike.

The Big Texan had two goals inside the opening four minutes but following that moment, Ben McKay did a superb job to keep up with the Coleman Medal leader.

Walker ended up booting three for the game but his work around the ground was key, tallying 17 disposals and seven marks as well.

SCOREBOARD

ROOS 2.2, 6.3, 9.7, 10.8 (68)

CROWS 5.2, 8.6, 8.9, 16.13 (109)

D’URBANO’S BEST

Roos: Simpkin, Hall, Goldstein, Ziebell, Powell, Thomas

Crows: Smith, Sholl, Seedsman, O’Brien, Laird, Walker, Keays

GOALS

Roos: Larkey 3, Goldstein 2, Stephenson 2, Thomas 2, Phillips

Crows: Walker 3, McAdam 3, Fogarty 3, Schoenberg 2, O’Brien, Seedsman, Murphy, Rowe, Sholl

INJURIES

Roos: Walker (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Campbell, McDonald (pectoral), Zurhaar (concussion)

Crows: Nil

Venue: Marvel Stadium

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

D’URBANO’S VOTES

3: L.Sholl (Adelaide)

2: R.O’Brien (Adelaide)

1: J.Simpkin (North)