Sydney Swans superstar Isaac Heeney learns AFL Tribunal fate
Superstar duo Isaac Heeney and Izak Rankine have learned their fates after both took their cases to the AFL Tribunal.
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Isaac Heeney is officially out of the running to win this year’s Brownlow Medal.
Heeney made contact with St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster’s face as he attempted to break free on the lead in the third quarter of the Saints’ thrilling two-point victory over the Swans on Sunday.
The MRO graded the incident intentional, high contact and low impact, triggering a one-match ban after the clash that left Webster with a bleeding nose.
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The Swans were reportedly confident they could get their star man cleared, but after a hearing lasting almost two hours, that has failed.
It means Heeney, who has been right in the thick of Brownlow Medal favouritism all season long for the ladder-leading Swans, is now ineligible for the honour.
After picking up three votes in Sunday’s upset loss to St Kilda, the 28-year-old leads the AFL Coaches Association leaderboard with 92 votes, clear of Nick Daicos (84 votes) and Marcus Bontempelli (73).
The league now faces the prospect of Heeney becoming the third player to top the count but not claim the medal due to a suspension during the season.
Corey McKernan (1996) and Chris Grant (1997) topped the count in successive years but were ineligible due to one-game suspensions, while Jobe Watson was stripped of his 2012 medal years later amid the Essendon supplements saga.
The Swans were arguing the action was “careless at worst, insufficient at best” according to Fox Sports, hoping to get it downgraded or thrown out entirely.
Heeney also fronted the Tribunal and was asked how often the swatting motion he produced might happen in a game.
“It happens a lot,” he replied. ‘Especially when a defender wants to hold you in tight and you want that separation.
“Maybe 50 to 100 times in a game.”
Heeney also told the hearing he didn’t expect Webster’s head to be so low when he took the action.
“I accidentally made high contact and it wasn’t my intention. My thought went straight to him,” he said.
“That’s not where I intended to swat him.”
During the off-season, the AFL amended rules so that in the instance of any player forcefully pushing or fending an opponent off the ball, the incident would be graded as intentional rather than careless, boosting the penalty from a fine to a suspension.
Heeney has now been ruled out for this weekend’s clash with North Melbourne and, more importantly, can’t win the Brownlow Medal this year.
Earlier on Tuesday, another Brownlow contender in Patrick Cripps said he would be disappointed to see Heeney ruled ineligible for this year’s medal and called for a review of the award’s criteria.
Cripps, who was considered one of Heeney’s main challengers for the game’s most prestigious gong, said the Swans superstar played “the right way” and did not deserve to miss out on the medal if he was suspended for striking Webster.
“It’s a tough question, it’s obviously a rule that’s been around since the start. I feel like with how not the rules have changed, but how we’re protecting the head and little incidents, I feel like it’s definitely a thing that needs to be reviewed at the end of the year,” Cripps said.
“You’d hate to see someone like Isaac, if he did win (the count), miss out on the chance.
“He’s had a great year, he’s a great player and I feel like he plays the game the right way … that’s all I’d say about that.”
Cripps’ 2022 Brownlow came only after a marathon tribunal hearing in which he was eventually exonerated after being handed a suspension for a high bump that concussed Brisbane’s Callum Ah Chee.
“It’s out of your control in a way,” he said when asked about the emotions of the hearing.
“You’ve obviously got to say your part, but I’m sure they’ll have a case to present, and I wish (Heeney) all the best with it.”
In the night’s second case, Adelaide standout Izak Rankine challenged his four-match ban for a bump gone wrong that left Brisbane defender Brandon Starcevich concussed.
The act was graded intentional with severe impact and high contact, resulting in a whopping four-match suspension.
The Crows attempted to argue Rankine’s actions were careless, rather than not intentional, but that also fell short.
“While Izak had no intention of making head high contact that resulted in the injury, it obviously did occur and that is not being contested,” Crows head of football Adam Kelly said.
“We believe however that a careless grading is more befitting of the incident.”
– with NCA NewsWire
Originally published as Sydney Swans superstar Isaac Heeney learns AFL Tribunal fate
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