That’s all from me for the night. Thanks for joining us for what was an extraordinary night at the tribunal.
It’s a verdict that is likely to dominate discussions for the next few days, no matter which side of the fence you are on.
And Carlton have had a two-game ban for Jack Martin reduced to one after successfully arguing the impact of his strike on Nick Blakey to be downgraded from high to medium.
Carlton have successfully argued for Jack Martin’s ban to be reduced to one game from two.
The Blues had the grading of high impact downgraded to medium.
Martin is now free to play in the preliminary final against Brisbane should the Blues defeat Melbourne on Friday night.
We’re about 15 minutes into deliberations here for Jack Martin, who is arguing for a two-match ban to be reduced to one.
Either way, he will not be playing in Carlton’s semi-final against Melbourne.
Apologies for the lack of updates from Jack Martin’s case. I’ve been busy filing on Brayden Maynard.
I must be seeing ghosts. Maynard has made an appearance, or rather an old case involving him.
Carlton are listing numerous examples of incidents of high impact, as they challenge the grading of high impact. They want it downgraded to medium and a one-game ban.
Maynard’s hit last year on Greater Western Sydney’s Daniel Lloyd in a practice game as example seven of incidents graded as high. Lloyd was ruled out of the match with concussion.
The striking charge against Carlton’s Jack Martin is being heard.
Carlton are challenging high impact, saying Martin has pleaded guilty to medium impact, meaning he is asking for a one-match ban.
The Blues forward was handed a two-match ban for striking Sydney’s Nick Blakey during Friday night’s elimination victory, ruling him out until the grand final should the Blues storm further into September.
During the opening quarter at the MCG, Martin charged at Blakey and caught him high with a swinging right arm as the Sydney defender disposed of the ball. The match review officer graded the incident as careless conduct, high contact and high impact.
Blakey was slow to his feet and looked dazed after the knock. He instantly went down to the rooms to undergo a concussion test before he returned for the second term.
Carlton’s Jack Martin is facing the tribunal.Credit: Channel Seven
Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard has been cleared for his heavy hit on Melbourne onballer Angus Brayshaw, freeing him to play in the remainder of the Magpies’ finals series.
The AFL tribunal hearing started at 4pm, reaching its verdict just after 8pm on the incident between Maynard and Angus Brayshaw in last week’s qualifying final.
The tribunal panel of Darren Gaspar, Scott Stevens and chair Jeff Gleeson took just under an hour to find Maynard’s action to smother was reasonable and that he had not engaged in the act of bumping Brayshaw, who was knocked out cold and has an uncertain playing future.
All smiles: Brayden Maynard.Credit: Darrian Traynor
The Pies called in a biomechanist, Michael Cole, to demonstrate their argument that Maynard had insufficient time to make a conscious decision on how he would collide with Brayshaw.
“We accept that a reasonable player would have foreseen at the moment of committing to the act of smothering that some impact with Brayshaw was possible. But we find that it was not inevitable from the perspective of a player in Maynard’s position,” Gleeson said in delivering the finding.
“We are not at all satisfied that a reasonable player would have foreseen that violent impact or impact of the type suffered by Brayshaw was inevitable or even likely.
“We are clearly satisfied that Maynard did not engage in the act of bumping Brayshaw. It is not suggested by the AFL and nor could it be sensibly suggested that Maynard made a decision to bump his opponent at the moment of jumping in the air to smother. At that point in time, Maynard was clearly making a decision to smother.
“We accept that a reasonable player would have foreseen at the moment of committing to the act of smothering that some impact with Brayshaw was possible. But we find that it was not inevitable from the perspective of a player in Maynard’s position,” Gleeson said in delivering the finding.
“We are not at all satisfied that a reasonable player would have foreseen that violent impact or impact of the type suffered by Brayshaw was inevitable or even likely.
“We are clearly satisfied that Maynard did not engage in the act of bumping Brayshaw. It is not suggested by the AFL and nor could it be sensibly suggested that Maynard made a decision to bump his opponent at the moment of jumping in the air to smother. At that point in time, Maynard was clearly making a decision to smother.”
Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard has been cleared for his heavy hit on Melbourne onballer Angus Brayshaw, freeing him to play in the remainder of the Magpies’ finals series.
The AFL tribunal took more than four hours on Tuesday to reach its verdict on the incident between Maynard and Brayshaw in last week’s qualifying final.
The controversial clash early in the first term of the Magpies’ seven-point win last Thursday night left Brayshaw concussed and the Demons seething. Brayshaw was taken from the field on a stretcher.
It was later assessed as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, and was referred directly to the tribunal.
Heavy collision: Brayden Maynard crashes into Angus Brayshaw.Credit: Channel Seven
On Sunday, Demons star Christian Petracca said Brayshaw was “not going great” after his heavy collision with Maynard, but added that Melbourne remained hopeful he would yet be fit to return this finals campaign.
The collision occurred when Maynard flew to try to smother Brayshaw’s kick, then landed on him and knocked him out.
“[A return to play this year] will be based on what ‘Gus’ is feeling and his symptoms,” Petracca said.
“Obviously there is the 12-day protocol. If we win this week, fingers crossed Gus feels right to play in the prelim, but I feel like, when I saw Gus and speaking to him, footy’s just one thing, it’s all about his health, and you’ve got your brain for the rest of your life. Footy’s just a part of you.
We’re now past the 40-minute mark of deliberations. I know we should have sympathy for Angus Brayshaw, but how nervous must Brayden Maynard be feeling right now? The tension must be unbearable for him. It’s kind of like the fans, who sit in the stands with no control over what is about to happen next.
As disappointed as Brayden Maynard will be if he gets rubbed out and misses the grand final, there are doubts over Angus Brayshaw availability for the finals.
“He’s integrated into the concussion protocols, and we’ve sought expert opinions to help support Angus…we’re continuing to take that day by day,” Melbourne’s High Performance Manager Selwyn Griffith told the club’s website.
“There’s no set timeframe on when Angus will return this year, it’s based on how he progresses through the protocol and also on the advice from the experts around his concussion management.”
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