Stafford gets all-clear twice
By Lyall Johnson
May 01 2003
Richmond received a reprieve last night when ruckman Greg Stafford was cleared by the AFL Tribunal of striking Hawthorn's Peter Everitt and kneeing Nick Stone.
In an incident that has caused a storm of controversy this week, Everitt left the MCG on Saturday with a broken cheekbone after his head and Stafford's right forearm collided in a ruck contest during the second quarter.
Everitt had been dominating and the incident seemed to turn the game and spark a 51-point turnaround that ended with Richmond winning by 20 points.
In defending Stafford, Richmond called on the expert opinion of veteran ruckman Simon Madden to help prove its case that contact was neither reckless, negligent or intentional. Madden told the tribunal he "could not see anything untoward" in the incident.
Madden, the AFL's longest-serving ruckman, who played 378 games for Essendon and is the Bombers' ruck coach, told the tribunal Stafford's technique "wasn't copybook" but that the contact could have been made anywhere on Everitt. It was "unfortunate that (Everitt) was lower (than Stafford) and it copped him in the face".
Stafford's technique came under scrutiny, with umpire Shaun Ryan claiming Stafford moved past the flight of the ball and used his arm in an illegal blocking motion. Ryan admitted that in hindsight he had missed a free kick.
Stafford, who was reported on video evidence after the game by Ryan, told the tribunal he jumped early in the ruck contest to nullify Everitt, who had "jumped all over me" in the previous five contests. He had eyes only for the ball, which had drifted about three metres to his left.
Stafford said, "I feel for Peter", but that no one played the game to hurt or maim other players. He claimed the incident was a "complete and utter accident".
Everitt claimed he did not see Stafford's arm during the contest but conceded that he had received a "solid hit". Everitt, who was himself suspended this season for contact with an umpire, said it was not unusual for footballers to receive knocks to the head during the course of any game with both forearms and fists.
Iain Findlay, representing Stafford, blamed the situation for ruckmen being forced to run at each other at ruck contests on the Matthew Primus ruling, in which the AFL ruled that ruckmen could not shepherd in the contest.
Hawthorn last night declined to comment on Stafford's clearance.
But former Tiger ruckman David Cloke was critical of the decision on radio 3AW, saying the tribunal's decision had been inconsistent in clearing Stafford after his son Jason was suspended from Collingwood's grand final appearance for striking last year.
On the kneeing charge, the tribunal deliberated for only one minute to find Stafford not guilty. The incident, which left Stone with concussion and resulted in him being taken from the ground, occurred in the final minutes of the game.
After a marking contest, Stone, who was running with Stafford in close pursuit, slipped. Stafford, who claimed he had been lunging in an attempt to deflect an attempted handball, also went to ground and his left knee struck Stone.
By Lyall Johnson
May 01 2003
Richmond received a reprieve last night when ruckman Greg Stafford was cleared by the AFL Tribunal of striking Hawthorn's Peter Everitt and kneeing Nick Stone.
In an incident that has caused a storm of controversy this week, Everitt left the MCG on Saturday with a broken cheekbone after his head and Stafford's right forearm collided in a ruck contest during the second quarter.
Everitt had been dominating and the incident seemed to turn the game and spark a 51-point turnaround that ended with Richmond winning by 20 points.
In defending Stafford, Richmond called on the expert opinion of veteran ruckman Simon Madden to help prove its case that contact was neither reckless, negligent or intentional. Madden told the tribunal he "could not see anything untoward" in the incident.
Madden, the AFL's longest-serving ruckman, who played 378 games for Essendon and is the Bombers' ruck coach, told the tribunal Stafford's technique "wasn't copybook" but that the contact could have been made anywhere on Everitt. It was "unfortunate that (Everitt) was lower (than Stafford) and it copped him in the face".
Stafford's technique came under scrutiny, with umpire Shaun Ryan claiming Stafford moved past the flight of the ball and used his arm in an illegal blocking motion. Ryan admitted that in hindsight he had missed a free kick.
Stafford, who was reported on video evidence after the game by Ryan, told the tribunal he jumped early in the ruck contest to nullify Everitt, who had "jumped all over me" in the previous five contests. He had eyes only for the ball, which had drifted about three metres to his left.
Stafford said, "I feel for Peter", but that no one played the game to hurt or maim other players. He claimed the incident was a "complete and utter accident".
Everitt claimed he did not see Stafford's arm during the contest but conceded that he had received a "solid hit". Everitt, who was himself suspended this season for contact with an umpire, said it was not unusual for footballers to receive knocks to the head during the course of any game with both forearms and fists.
Iain Findlay, representing Stafford, blamed the situation for ruckmen being forced to run at each other at ruck contests on the Matthew Primus ruling, in which the AFL ruled that ruckmen could not shepherd in the contest.
Hawthorn last night declined to comment on Stafford's clearance.
But former Tiger ruckman David Cloke was critical of the decision on radio 3AW, saying the tribunal's decision had been inconsistent in clearing Stafford after his son Jason was suspended from Collingwood's grand final appearance for striking last year.
On the kneeing charge, the tribunal deliberated for only one minute to find Stafford not guilty. The incident, which left Stone with concussion and resulted in him being taken from the ground, occurred in the final minutes of the game.
After a marking contest, Stone, who was running with Stafford in close pursuit, slipped. Stafford, who claimed he had been lunging in an attempt to deflect an attempted handball, also went to ground and his left knee struck Stone.
