Alleged incident involving Blues skipper referred directly to TSL tribunal

Launceston skipper Brodie Palfreyman has been referred directly to the TSL tribunal next week after he was charged with alleged misconduct. See the video of the alleged incident here.

Launceston co-captain Brodie Palfreyman has been referred directly to the TSL tribunal on a misconduct charge after he was reported by umpires for allegedly throwing sand at the face of a North Hobart player on Saturday.

Game vision, published by The Mercury on Sunday, shows the midfielder allegedly throwing sand at Demons star Angus Norton’s face early in the third quarter of North Hobart’s 17-point win.

The Match Review Officer (MRO) delivered the verdict on Tuesday night that Palfreyman has been charged with ‘engaging in any other act of misconduct or serious misconduct’.

“Palfreyman has been charged from a referred incident from the umpires for engaging in serious misconduct in the third quarter by throwing sand from the centre circle into the face and eyes of Angus Norton,’ the TSL release stating the MRO outcomes said.

The hearing will take place on Tuesday, August 29.

The fourth-placed Blues look almost certain to play finals with two rounds remaining but Palfreyman will play no further part this season, regardless of the outcome of next week’s hearing, after he fractured his leg in a separate incident later in the third term at North Hobart Oval.

Blues coach Mitch Thorp confirmed on Sunday Palfreyman would require surgery, and have a plate put into his broken leg.

“Brodie had X-rays done last night (Saturday), there’s a fracture in his leg. He’ll have surgery and get a plate put in there,” Thorp said.

“His leg got caught, an opponent slid in and it went crack.

“He’ll definitely be back for the start of next season. It’s a good thing it was a clean break, you can get a plate in it and get back on your feet fairly quickly.”

Mitch Thorp Launceston coach with co-captain Brodie Palfreyman. Picture: Scott Gelston / Solstice Digital

Fellow Blues player Jayden Hinds accepted the early guilty plea after he was charged with ‘making unreasonable or unnecessary contact with an injured player’ for bumping Norton directly after the alleged incident involving Palfreyman.

The base sanction for the reportable offence is a one match ban, but Hinds received a reprimand with the early plea.

Hinds also accepted the early guilty plea, and a subsequent reprimand for ‘intentionally or carelessly kneeing another person’ - also Norton - during the second quarter.

Despite the attention placed on him by the Blues, Norton was named best afield in official player of the year voting.

North Launceston will be without forward-ruck Theo Ives for this week’s trip to Glenorchy after the Bombers failed to have a charge of ‘engaging in a melee’ during Saturday’s clash with Kingborough overturned.

Ives could have accepted a reprimand with an early guilty plea. But the Bombers contested the charge at the tribunal on Tuesday night, which was upheld.

Kingborough players James Zeitzen and Jack Tomkinson were also charged with the same offence for their involvement in the third quarter melee, but accepted reprimands with early guilty pleas.