AFL 2024: All the MRO and tribunal news from round 6

GWS took Jesse Hogan and Toby Greene’s cases to the tribunal on Tuesday night. They walked away having cleared one of their stars. See the details here.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 20: Toby Greene of the Giants collides with Jordan Boyd of the Blues during the round six AFL match between Carlton Blues and Greater Western Sydney Giants at Marvel Stadium, on April 20, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

GWS star Toby Greene will serve the eighth suspension of his career – and first in two-and-a-half years – after failing to overturn his rough conduct charge at the tribunal.

Greene was unable to prove he was making a reasonable marking attempt when he collided with Carlton’s Jordan Boyd in their clash at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

The Giants captain argued that he approached the contest thinking he was a good chance to take the mark before bracing for impact “at the last moment” to protect himself when he realised Boyd would touch the footy first.

That proved decisive because with Greene conceding it was a high bump, tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson had instructed the panel that a player who had ceased to attempt to mark prior to impact so they could brace should not be considered as contesting the ball.

Greene will serve his one-game sanction by missing the Giants’ Anzac Day match against Brisbane on Thursday night.

Jesse Hogan is free to play. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“Prior to impact, Greene had abandoned his attempt to mark the ball and turned his body to brace for impact,” Gleeson said.

“It follows that the exemption for rough conduct high bumps provision does not apply and there is no clause to consider whether his conduct was reasonable.”

Greene, the most banned active player, had not been suspended since copping a six-game whack for making intentional contact with an umpire in October 2021.

AFL counsel Andrew Woods said in colliding with Boyd, Greene “brought his body into that classic bumping pose” and was not genuinely trying to mark the ball.

Woods noted Greene’s arms crossed over and said if they were outstretched instead, there was a real chance it would have reduced the force of impact.

He believed not having his arms extended made it similar to Essendon forward Peter Wright’s massive hit on Sydney’s Harry Cunningham, which resulted in a four-game ban.

GWS counsel Anais d’Arville disagreed and said the tribunal could not operate on the basis there was only one way of marking or protecting oneself.

Toby Greene has been suspended. Picture: Getty Images

“If I go for the mark with my hands out and he tucks in because he’s going to take the mark, I’m highly exposed and vulnerable,” Greene said.

GWS had expected the three-time All-Australian to escape suspension, believing he was treated harshly.

Giants coach Adam Kingsley said after the Blues game: “There won’t be anything in that”.

“He’s allowed to contest the ball, isn’t he? He’s allowed to launch at the ball?

“It’s hard being Toby.”

It was better news for GWS earlier in the night when key forward Jesse Hogan’s one-match ban for striking Blues defender Lewis Young was successful.

The Giants proved the off-the-ball contact was negligible.

That came after Gleeson declared a striking charge must involve more than negligible impact despite a rule being introduced for this year stating incidents of negligible impact could be upgraded to low because of potential to cause serious injury.

Hogan said he did not believe he struck Young with any sort of force.

“I didn’t think I hit him, it might have been a bit of a palm,” Hogan said.

Originally published as AFL 2024: All the MRO and tribunal news from round 6