Pierce Liddle deregistered for a second time after passing the 15-game suspension threshold

Pioneer, Southern Districts and Palmerston footballer Pierce Liddle deregistered for a second time

Pierce Liddle’s second deregistration means he cannot play Australian football again.

PIERCE Liddle’s playing career is over after an independent tribunal suspended him on a headbutting charge this week.

The four-match suspension meant instant deregistration for Liddle, who was on his second chance after successfully appealing his first ban.

The headbutt on Federal opponent Louis Egger occurred during a Pioneer-Federal game last month where Egger also punched Liddle.

The Federal player was handed a two-match ban.

The AFLNT enlisted an independent investigator after Federal and Pioneer lodged referral and complaint notices against both players.

The investigator interviewed 15 people, including the match umpires, a process that took two weeks to complete.

The investigator recommended Liddle be referred directly to the tribunal for his conduct in the incident.

Liddle pleaded not guilty to the charge in Wednesday night’s hearing, after which the tribunal took into account all available evidence.

That included statements from a field and boundary umpire, the investigator’s report, 15 witness statements and a medical report from a dentist who examined Egger.

The tribunal chairperson issued the following statement.

“A lot of weight of both versions of events was taken into consideration when deliberating, along with the witness statements and medical report.

“The evidence provided by Louis Egger as to what occurred was very clear, matter-of-fact and the tribunal find it to be inherently plausible that a headbutt occurred.

“It does stand to reason that the umpires were not in a position to see the incident and focused on getting the ball in the air from the contest and to keep the game moving.

“On the balance of probabilities, we do find that a headbutt occurred and find Pierce Liddle guilty.’’

The four-match suspension and Liddle’s prior record combined to implement immediate deregistration.

Pioneer president Owen Cole was disappointed with the verdict after an incident where both players lay on the ground.

“But we move on, there is finals football to pursue and we want to be part of it.’’