Liam Baker escapes ban for ‘deliberate’ misconduct, Callum Mills suspended

West Coast recruit Liam Baker has avoided a suspension for ramming James Peatling’s head into the turf with his forearm, while Callum Mills wasn’t so fortunate.

West Coast player Liam Baker escaped with only a fine for ramming James Peatling’s head into the turf with his forearm as Sydney captain Callum Mills was handed a one-week ban for a high bump.

Baker could have been referred to the tribunal for serious misconduct but instead was handed a $5000 fine for ‘other misconduct’.

Baker sparked a wild stoush after he shoved Adelaide midfielder Peatling’s head into the Optus Stadium grass by leaning down on him with his forearm.

Melbourne’s Jack Viney was suspended for two weeks in 2021 and the tribunal upheld the charge after he made strong contact to Sam Collins’ throat and neck with his elbow.

Crows players & fans understandably upset with this act from Liam Baker.

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The MRO handed Baker a misconduct fine and also a $3125 fine for engaging in a melee in a clash where Adelaide eventually surged past the Eagles.

Former Essendon coach James Hird told Nine he believed it was a deliberate act.

“That’s the sort of thing that if you get three weeks for bumping ... or tackling someone and pulling them down and mistiming, that is a deliberate act,” Hird said.

“That to me is worse than a tackle where you pull them behind and hit someone because it’s a deliberate act to try to, not so much hurt someone, but to influence someone. In a tackle you make a mistake.”

Mills was suspended for his late, needless clash in junk time after his high bump on Melbourne opponent Charlie Spargo.

Mills only just returned to the Swans’ line-up. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Mills had only returned from a plantar fascia issue in a Sydney team that last week lost Joel Amartey and Justin McInerney to suspensions for incidents on Jordan Boyd and Jack Silvagni respectively.

He jumped off the ground in a strange attempt to win the ball but hit Demons forward Spargo with a hip to the head.

He did reach down with one hand and make contact with the ball.

But MRO boss Michael Christian decided he was not actually contesting the ball.

Spargo was taken off the ground for an HIA and while there was not enough time to return to the ground, he was cleared of concussion.

It meant the AFL was able to hand him a one week suspension for medium impact rather than a severe impact three-week ban.

NEWCOMBE LEARNS MRO FATE, FREO SKIPPER COPS MAJOR BAN

Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has been handed a three-week suspension for his high bump on Darcy Byrne-Jones as Hawthorn star Jai Newcombe was cleared to play Collingwood despite a borderline high tackle.

The AFL’s high bump rules will again be under scrutiny after Port Adelaide forward Byrne-Jones was concussed in his collision with Pearce.

Pearce was leading out from full forward as Byrne-Jones went back with the flight, and instead of contesting the ball bumped the Power player.

Slow-motion angles show that he made high contact with his shoulder, with Byrne-Jones then falling headfirst into the ground before being ruled out with concussion.

Freo skipper Alex Pearce. Picture: Janelle St Pierre/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said his captain had to make a contest, saying he would be “crucified” if he did not attack the football.

But Pearce not only took his eyes off the ball, he did not actually contest the football.

Under the AFL’s rules he has to be handed a severe-force report and unless he can get off at the tribunal he will be out for three weeks.

He will miss games against Gold Coast (Ben King), North Melbourne (Nick Larkey) and Essendon (Peter Wright).

His collision had some similarities to Wright’s hit last year on Sydney’s Harry Cunningham, which saw him handed a four-week ban.

Longmuir was adamant his player had no case to answer.

“What’s Alex supposed to do in that situation? Pull out of that contest and let him mark it going back with the flight? He’d get crucified if Alex pulled out of that contest – that’s what would happen. I don’t have any issues with it.”

Fox Footy’s David King said on Saturday night that Pearce chose to bump rather than attack the football: “These are the ones you have to stamp out unfortunately. It’s line ball but he does brace and the brace to me is choosing to bump.

“He jumps, so he knows contact is coming. He has a duty of care to the other player – whether you like it or not, this is the world we now live in.”

St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt told Seven on Sunday the punishment did not fit the crime.

““ It is a mess. The whole thing is a mess. The whole system is a mess. The framework’s a mess. We have got to fix it,” he said.

Tensions rise after Jarrod Berry was awarded a free kick for this incident involving Jai Newcombe.#AFLHawksLionspic.twitter.com/lN8ntzJmd4

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Hawthorn star Newcombe dumped Brisbane midfielder Jarrod Berry into the ground with a backwards dumping motion in the Hawks’ worrying loss to the Lions.

Berry did make contact with his head to the ground but one of his arms was not pinned by Newcombe and he played out the contest.

So while Newcombe was charged with rough conduct, he has been handed a $10,000 fine ($6250 with a guilty plea).

He was handed a $10,000 fine for tripping James Rowbottom in March and a $10,000 fine for rough conduct on Jesse Hogan late last season so he is quickly toting up a hefty fines total.

But he is available against Collingwood in a huge relief for coach Sam Mitchell.

The Hawks are badly missing star mid Will Day and subbed off emerging midfielder Cam Mackenzie after little impact against the Lions.

Originally published as Liam Baker escapes ban for ‘deliberate’ misconduct, Callum Mills suspended