Jason Puruntatameri and Matthew Kantilla free to play in Saturday’s knockout NTFL final

THE Tiwi Bombers breathed a big sigh of relief at the NTFL Tribunal last night when Jason Puruntatameri and Matthew Kantilla had their match bans for striking reduced to reprimands

Key Tiwi Bombers defender Jason Puruntatameri is free to play in the NTFL first semi-final after a striking charge was reduced from a two-match ban to a reprimand. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

THE Tiwi Bombers breathed a big sigh of relief at the NTFL Tribunal last night when key pair Jason Puruntatameri and Matthew Kantilla had their two-match bans for striking reduced to reprimands.

Both players are now free to play in Saturday night’s knockout first semi-final against Southern Districts.

The reduction to reprimands followed the tribunal’s decision to change the word intentional in the first instance to careless.

Puruntatameri had been charged with striking St Mary’s midfielder Nate Paredes in a first quarter incident and Kantilla for striking Saint Nick Yarran in the last quarter.

The Bombers’ general manager Leigh Crossman was a relieved man after the 90-minute hearing, saying both players had received fair hearings.

“I think in the end both players deserved to be playing the game on the weekend after the intentional part in the original charge was changed,’’ Crossman said.

“The boys are really excited to be playing in the semi-final. Jason has played 150-odd games and reported only once in that time, so his tribunal record is very good.

“Matthew is a young kid playing his first full season of league football in the NTFL, so to get an opportunity to play in another final is super exciting for him.’’