Tribunal boost for Blues
8:13:56 PM Tue 10 June, 2003
Jordan Chong
afl.com.au
Carlton will have Andrew McKay and Brendan Fevola available this weekend after both were cleared at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday.
Fevola was cleared of charging Geelong’s Steven King and McKay found not guilty of striking Peter Riccardi. The Blues take on a Richmond side missing defender Darren Gaspar this Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
First to appear was McKay, who was reported by field umpire Matthew Nicholls in the third quarter of Sunday’s match against Geelong at Telstra Dome. The incident occurred in the centre square as Riccardi was attempting to mark.
Umpire Nicholls deemed McKay’s attempt to spoil from behind produced contact from McKay’s right forearm to the head and face that was ‘high and also late’ as Riccardi had already completed the mark.
McKay ‘absolutely’ denied making contact to the side of the face, adding he didn’t believe he was late. Riccardi concurred, saying he felt contact ‘across the shoulder’.
Tribunal chairman Brian Collis, QC, conceded there was ‘a doubt there was contact to the head that was sufficient to warrant the charge of striking’.
Fevola was charged on video evidence by umpire Andrew Coates for charging. The incident occurred during the opening term.
Fevola ran in from centre half-forward to contest an inaccurate centre bounce that favoured King. Play-on was called and Fevola looked to compete with King for the ball. But he didn’t make it, King tapping the footy to Cameron Ling before Fevola got there.
Umpire Coates, who reviewed the tape ‘on 20-30 occasions’ believed Fevola ‘was always going to be late’ and was ‘no chance of getting in the contest’.
Fevola denied charging deliberately into King and said his intention was ‘at the ball the whole time’.
While giving evidence, King didn’t think the incident was untoward or different from other situations where the bounce wasn’t straight. The clash left him with cut above his left eye, requiring him to leave the ground via the blood rule.
The tribunal found that while Fevola was ‘marginally’ late to the contest, it didn’t find the amount of force used ‘unreasonable or unnecessary in the circumstances’ and dismissed the charge.
Get practicing your sprints Vardy.
8:13:56 PM Tue 10 June, 2003
Jordan Chong
afl.com.au
Carlton will have Andrew McKay and Brendan Fevola available this weekend after both were cleared at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday.
Fevola was cleared of charging Geelong’s Steven King and McKay found not guilty of striking Peter Riccardi. The Blues take on a Richmond side missing defender Darren Gaspar this Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
First to appear was McKay, who was reported by field umpire Matthew Nicholls in the third quarter of Sunday’s match against Geelong at Telstra Dome. The incident occurred in the centre square as Riccardi was attempting to mark.
Umpire Nicholls deemed McKay’s attempt to spoil from behind produced contact from McKay’s right forearm to the head and face that was ‘high and also late’ as Riccardi had already completed the mark.
McKay ‘absolutely’ denied making contact to the side of the face, adding he didn’t believe he was late. Riccardi concurred, saying he felt contact ‘across the shoulder’.
Tribunal chairman Brian Collis, QC, conceded there was ‘a doubt there was contact to the head that was sufficient to warrant the charge of striking’.
Fevola was charged on video evidence by umpire Andrew Coates for charging. The incident occurred during the opening term.
Fevola ran in from centre half-forward to contest an inaccurate centre bounce that favoured King. Play-on was called and Fevola looked to compete with King for the ball. But he didn’t make it, King tapping the footy to Cameron Ling before Fevola got there.
Umpire Coates, who reviewed the tape ‘on 20-30 occasions’ believed Fevola ‘was always going to be late’ and was ‘no chance of getting in the contest’.
Fevola denied charging deliberately into King and said his intention was ‘at the ball the whole time’.
While giving evidence, King didn’t think the incident was untoward or different from other situations where the bounce wasn’t straight. The clash left him with cut above his left eye, requiring him to leave the ground via the blood rule.
The tribunal found that while Fevola was ‘marginally’ late to the contest, it didn’t find the amount of force used ‘unreasonable or unnecessary in the circumstances’ and dismissed the charge.
Get practicing your sprints Vardy.
