‘What a joke’: AFL fans slam ‘soft’ suspension given to Carlton’s Adam Cerra
AFL fans are up in arms after a Carlton star was handed a suspension when many believe a ban was not justified at all.
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Carlton’s Adam Cerra could well be set for a date with the AFL Tribunal after he was handed a one-match suspension for an incident in Sunday’s win over Geelong.
On Monday the AFL Match Review Officer (MRO) Michael Christian handed down its rap sheet and cited Cerra with striking for his hit on Geelong’s Jack Bowes in the third quarter of Carlton’s 18-point win at the MCG.
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At a ball-up in the centre square, Cerra was tangling with Bowes and collected the Cats player with a hit to the upper chest/chin area.
Bowes fell to the turf and Cerra was put on report — the MRO graded the incident intentional conduct, low impact and high contact, handing down a one-match ban.
Garry Lyon said on AFL 360 on Monday: “It looked like a decent clip. If you’re gonna clip someone you put your faith in the Tribunal. They’ll miss him, he’s been really good.”
Carlton has until 11am on Tuesday to decided if they will challenge the suspension at the AFL Tribunal.
AFL fans couldn’t believe the MRO gave Cerra a suspension for what many saw as a relatively mild push and shove between two players at a stoppage.
Watch the Adam Cerra incident in the video above
One person wrote on X: “The AFL cannot be serious on this Adam Cerra charge. It is a fine at best. What are we even doing here?”
A second said: “Bowes initiates and gets his head in the way, surely can’t be upheld.”
A third said: “Give Bowes a week for flopping.”
A fourth said: “Bowes literally lowers his centre of gravity and body from lunging at him, Cerra can’t help that? What a joke.”
Another said: “How soft is the MRO to give a week for that.”
AFL reporter Nic Negrepontis tweeted: “Michael Christian has lost the ability to judge what missing a game at AFL level is actually worth.”
Cerra will miss Carlton’s clash against Adelaide on Saturday if the Blues opt not to challenge or the ban is upheld.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season for Carlton but he could be one of three key players set to miss the game against the Crows.
Jack Silvagni will undergo surgery after suffering a broken hand in the win over Geelong and Zac Williams is set for a stint on the sidelines with a calf injury.
After a poor start to the season, the Blues have recovered to be 3-4 and produced their best performance of the year against Geelong with Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay impressing.
Adelaide Crows defender Mitch Hinge was also handed a one-match ban for his uppercut on Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw — the Crows will challenge that suspension at the Tribunal.
“It’s a strike, it’s a left uppercut,” Nick Riewoldt said on Channel 7 of Hinge’s incident.
“So he, he gets a week (suspension) or he gets a fine.”
Originally published as ‘What a joke’: AFL fans slam ‘soft’ suspension given to Carlton’s Adam Cerra
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