‘Excessive and substantial’: Harley Reid fails to overturn two-game ban

West Coast Eagles rookie prodigy Harley Reid has learned his fate after attempting to downgrade a two-game ban over his sling tackle.

West Coast midfielder Harley Reid has learned his fate at the AFL Tribunal.

Reid and the Eagles, who fought the ban handed down by the Match Review Officer on Sunday, had his two-game suspension upheld on Tuesday night.

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The 19-year-old will miss West Coast’s fixtures against North Melbourne at Optus Stadium (Round 13) and Essendon at Marvel Stadium (Round 15).

On Sunday evening, MRO Michael Christian slapped the first-year sensation with a two-game ban for dangerously tackling St Kilda rookie Darcy Wilson, rendering Reid ineligible to win this year’s Rising Star award.

The incident was graded as careless conduct, high impact and high contact, resulting in the two-match sanction. West Coast’s legal experts argued that a grading of medium impact was more appropriate in an attempt to reduce the suspension to one match.

Reid’s anticipated hearing was scheduled to begin at 6:00pm AEST (4:00pm AWST) but was pushed back as a result of Rhylee West’s protracted hearing.

The burgeoning ball-winner did not give evidence on Tuesday night as West Coast felt it wasn’t necessary.

The Eagles gun will be back round 16. Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

Sally Flynn (AFL) made specific use of “rotation”, “lifting” and “flinging” to describe Reid’s tackle of Wilson on Saturday.

Flynn said Reid used excessive force and made no attempt to slow the momentum of the tackle.

David Grace (West Coast) likened Reid’s tackle to Charlie Cameron’s on Jake Lever (Round 5; graded medium impact), Jaeger O’Meara’s on Charlie Spargo (Round 9; medium) and Tom Barrass’ on Michael Walters (Round 6; medium) in an attempt to convince the Tribunal that Reid’s act was no worse.

After a lengthy deliberation, the Tribunal chairperson deemed the MRO’s impact grading to be accurate — keeping the sanction at two matches.

“Reid sensibly acknowledged his tackle on Darcy Wilson was dangerous, involved excessive force and that it had the potential to cause Wilson a head or neck injury,” the decision read.

“We consider that there was considerable potential for injury. We agree Reid is a young first year player who was trying to do his best, but his tackle was ill judged. It was a poorly executed tackle.

“It was quite a unique tackle. A tackle of a very different kind to the four examples of dangerous tackles that Reid relied upon.”

The statement continued: “Excessive and substantial force was used by Reid to lift, rotate and sling Wilson backwards to the ground.

“It is lucky that he landed in the way he did. Had he landed differently, then the outcome for Wilson could have been a terrible head or neck injury.

“We are satisfied that the rough conduct charge has been correctly classified.”

It wasn’t a good look. Photo: Fox Footy

Fox Footy expert and dual flag-winner David King scrutinised the tackle in commentary on Saturday.

“That’s a tackle we have to take out of the game,” he said after Reid dispossessed Wilson in crunching fashion.

“That’s the sling. (His) head hits the ground — it’s everything we don’t want. I’m sorry.

“The tackle, the action — it’s a problem for him.

“You’ve got to choose your path as an industry. I think we’ve made it well known that (tackle) is a no-no, and unfortunately it looks like this weekend we’ll have the two favourites for the Rising Star (Reid and Sam Darcy) ineligible.”

The 18-year-old Wilson — who shapes as one of the Rising Star betting favourites with Reid and Darcy ineligible — played out the remainder of the game.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Western Bulldogs challenged forward Rhylee West’s one-game suspension after bumping Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe on Friday night.

West copped a one-match ban for his act, with the MRO deeming it careless conduct, medium impact, high contact.

Rhylee West has been handed a one-match ban for this incident. Careless conduct, medium impact, high contact.

Sam Darcy handed a two-match ban (careless, high, high). Taylor Duryea and Josh Daicos fined for [e-mail]/OTfLakjL0r

— David Zita (@DavidZita1) June 1, 2024

West’s forward-line Dogs teammate Darcy was also suspended last Friday, having since accepted a two-match ban after clattering into a backwards-moving Brayden Maynard.

The 23-year-old forward’s hearing began at 4:30pm AEST and concluded at 6:45pm AEST.

Rhylee West is free to play. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

West pleaded not guilty to the rough conduct charge. The Bulldogs argued West’s conduct was not unreasonable in the circumstances, with the forward claiming his intent was to tackle Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard before realising the Magpie wasn’t going to take possession.

Sally Flynn, representing the AFL, said “the resultant conduct (against Howe) was unreasonable in the circumstances” despite West’s claim that his intention was to tackle Maynard.

Flynn said West’s act “had the potential to cause either a concussion or a broken jaw”.

Adrian Anderson (Bulldogs) likened West’s contact to Nic Newman’s glancing blow to Melbourne’s Alex Neal-Bullen in Round 9, which resulted in a fine.

After a one-hour deliberation, the Tribunal overturned West’s one-game ban. He will be available to play this Thursday against the Brisbane Lions.

Originally published as ‘Excessive and substantial’: Harley Reid fails to overturn two-game ban