Welcome Liam Baker | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Welcome Liam Baker

Are they looking t the dangerous tackle on Bakes? When he was slung into the ground with a secondary action and his head whiplashed a bit into the turf? I didn’t notice it yesterday at the ground in the contest but it was pretty clear today watching the replay. Guess not.
They’ll probably fine Richmond for not removing him from the ground straight away and dragging him into the rooms for concussion protocols….
 
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Silly challenge… Bakes left the ground and contacted the head… take the week and run
 
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Even Gerard Whately thinks the suspension is line ball and he’s a note Tiger hater.
 
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It can't be increased so worth the swing.

Unlikely to get reduced though. Probably worth a week.
 
Bakes was trying to punch the ball, first contact wasn't to the head, Melican wasn't left motionless, he got up straight away and took his free kick.

Definitely worth challenging,
 
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I reckon he’s an 80% chance of getting off the charge.

It looked very dangerous on first views but, upon closer review at the last minute he drives his shoulder straight down to avoid direct contact with the head and neck. Very skilful under the circumstances and hopefully recognised by the judiciary.
 
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Your interpretation is spot on, so I'm having a go at the system not you.

All of a sudden we are judging an action on the potential for injury, something that has never been done. Look at Hind two rounds ago, raised an elbow, that has the potential to do untold damage. Should've got 12 weeks if "potential" is in the punishment. It's always been the outcome not the action. Until Baker.

We got screwed here.

Same thing happened with Marlion Pickett last year (or maybe it was the year before) where he bumped the Hawks bloke, who subsequently played out the game with no issues, and yet they gave Marlion a week for the bump because of the "potential to do serious injury".

I wouldn't an issue with this type of grading (although the "potential" tag is certainly a grey area) if they were consistent with it. AFL just making it up as they go, and as usual and somehow we're on the wrong end of the interpretation.
 
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I reckon he’s an 80% chance of getting off the charge.

It looked very dangerous on first views but, upon closer review at the last minute he drives his shoulder straight down to avoid direct contact with the head and neck. Very skilful under the circumstances and hopefully recognised by the judiciary.
The AFL website said he connected with his hand …which is what it looked like initially and why it looked bad. You’re right though, he must have tried to reduce impact at the last second and only made secondary contact with his shoulder. Hopefully this is considered light enough for the reasons you described.
 
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It looked very dangerous on first views but, upon closer review at the last minute he drives his shoulder straight down to avoid direct contact with the head and neck. Very skilful under the circumstances and hopefully recognised by the judiciary.
He did make contact with his shoulder to Melican's head
 
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Gotta feeling this will get upheld. Seems like 'going through the motions' questions from these pricks.
 
Your interpretation is spot on, so I'm having a go at the system not you.

All of a sudden we are judging an action on the potential for injury, something that has never been done. Look at Hind two rounds ago, raised an elbow, that has the potential to do untold damage. Should've got 12 weeks if "potential" is in the punishment. It's always been the outcome not the action. Until Baker.

We got screwed here.
I feel ya pain mate.
"Potential" has been in the rules for 6-7 years at least.
However the application of it has been shoddily done and less consistent than Melbourne's weather.
I'd have been OK with a fine, probably "deserved" given the intentions, but Tiger tax is applied.
 
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Hopefully Melican’s old man (Damien, RFC 1979-80 & mad Tigers fan) has had a word in Lewis ear to get Bakes off old school style .
That won't work anymore.

Last week or the week before the tribunal refused to let the "victim" be interviewed because they were unreliable due to the players code.
 
You *ing cheats AFL

Liam Baker's one-game suspension has been upheld by the AFL Tribunal tonight and he will miss Gather Round this weekend.

Baker was offered a one-match sanction by the Match Review Officer for rough conduct against Sydney Swan, Lewis Melican during the second quarter of the Round 3 match between Richmond and the Sydney Swans played at the MCG on Sunday, March 31, 2024.

The incident was graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact. The incident was classified as a one-match sanction as a first offence.