Jordan De Goey handed three-match ban by AFL tribunal for Elijah Hewett bump
Jordan De Goey will spend the next three weeks on the sidelines for his bump on West Coast’s Elijah Hewett. But it could have been a worse outcome for the Magpies star.
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Collingwood star Jordan de Goey’s remorse and his bump being only a split-second late have helped limit his rough-conduct suspension to three matches.
In Tuesday’s night’s tribunal hearing, the AFL pushed for de Goey to receive a four-game ban – which would have been the equal-longest of the season – for his bump that left West Coast youngster Elijah Hewett concussed at Perth Stadium on Saturday.
But the panel deemed three matches to be an appropriate sanction.
De Goey will miss clashes against Melbourne, Adelaide and Gold Coast.
The 27-year-old pleaded guilty and told the tribunal he immediately regretted the incident, which Collingwood argued was a “football action done incorrectly” in a split-second.
De Goey said he wanted to apologise to Hewett on the bench after the final siren but the four-game Eagle was not there, so he got his number and texted him.
“First and foremost you worried about the person … and then after just making sure he’s OK,” said de Goey, who had been sent directly to the tribunal by the match review officer.
“I felt disappointed and shattered for him personally because that was obviously not my intention to hit him high.
“I don’t go out there and play my footy a dirty way.
“It wasn’t until I looked at the (replay) screen that I saw I caught Elijah high.”
The AFL’s counsel, Andrew Woods, used Shane McAdam’s three-game ban for a bump on GWS player Jacob Wehr in round 1 as evidence why de Goey deserved a longer suspension.
McAdam’s incident was graded as severe, despite Wehr passing a concussion test and playing the next week.
Hewett would be sidelined for at least one match due to concussion protocols and Woods said de Goey’s bump had potential to cause more serious injury.
But Collingwood’s lawyer, Stephen Russell, who asked for a three-game ban, disagreed the circumstances were similar.
Russell said McAdam lined Wehr up from a distance, whereas de Goey had a “fairly limited opportunity” to do something other than brace himself with a hip and shoulder.
He argued Hewett caused a major part of the momentum by coming in at close to top speed.
Gleeson said de Goey’s duty of care breach was clear but not egregious and the Collingwood midfielder showed genuine remorse, accepting the incident’s impact was severe.
“The bump was late, but due to the speed at which both players were moving, it was a split-second late,” Gleeson said.
De Goey will be available to return against the Western Bulldogs on July 7.
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