Ovens & Murray: Wang Rovers coach Sam Murray to miss semi-final against Yarrawonga

Wang Rovers have made a call on the high bump suspension on coach Sam Murray from the qualifying final. Read the latest.

Wangaratta Rovers have suffered a massive blow in their quest to end a 30-year Ovens & Murray league premiership drought with playing coach Sam Murray to miss the second semi-final.

The Rovers had until 3pm on Tuesday to make the call on whether to contest a high bump charge laid on Murray for a final quarter hit on Wangaratta’s Hunter Gottschling in Saturday’s qualifying final win against Wangaratta.

The Ovens and Murray league’s match review panel graded the high bump as careless conduct with contact made to the head with medium impact.

It carried a two-match ban.

But Murray was offered a one-match penalty with an early guilty plea, which would see him free to return for either a preliminary final or grand final.

He had the option to contest the charge at the tribunal in the hope of playing against Yarrawonga in the second semi-final.

But Rovers football director Barry Sullivan confirmed on Tuesday that the club had accepted the one-match ban.

Murray risked a two-match ban and potentially missing a grand final if the charge was upheld at the tribunal.

The former Collingwood player and second-year coach is also one of the favourites for the Morris Medal after a successful return to the midfield this year.

Wangaratta Rovers coach Sam Murray. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

He remains eligible to win the medal.

Gottschling went to ground after the bump, which has been captured on video, and was assisted from the ground by trainers.

No reports were made on the day by umpires with the Magpies player returning to the ground after a short spell on the sidelines.

In a separate incident in the qualifying final, Wangaratta’s Liam McVeigh has also been charged by the match review panel with rough conduct for a dangerous tackle on Wangaratta Rovers’ Sam Cattapan.

McVeigh was hit with a three-match suspension, but can accept a two-match ban with an early guilty plea.

McVeigh has also accepted his two-match ban that would see him need to rely on Wangaratta making the grand final to play again this year.

POLL: Will @wangrovers roll the dice at tribunal in a bid to have coach Sam Murray play in @omfnl 2nd semi after high bump charge laid today? @theweeklytimes@ctryfootyscores

— David Johnston (@david_johnston5) September 2, 2024

Meanwhile, Lucknow’s Brenden Flinn will be watching the East Gippsland league grand final from the sidelines following a two-match suspension from the club’s second semi-final win.

Flinn was reported and sent from the ground early for a sling tackle that left Boisdale-Briagolong’s Shaquille Coridas concussed.

Coridas also won’t play in the grand final due to strict new 21-day concussion protocols for community football introduced this season.

Previously a player had to sit out 12 days after suffering a concussion.

Flinn went to the tribunal in a bid to have a three-match ban overturned, but was unsuccessful.

Boisdale-Briagolong beat reigning premier Wy Yung in the preliminary final to earn another crack at Lucknow which is aiming to win its first flag since 2012.