The final AFL Tribunal hearing of the home and away season is a big one, with Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett and finals-bound Blue Matt Owies fighting suspensions. Live below!
In the opening hearing of the night, the Demons are challenging the three-week ban given to star forward Pickett for rough conduct.
Pickett, who has often featured in the Match Review due to his bad on-field behaviour, caught Collingwood’s Darcy Moore high as the Pies skipper went to ground last Friday night.
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The incident was graded as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact, after Moore was subbed out of the game with concussion.
Pickett served two bans this year, one for a bump on Patrick Cripps in the 2023 finals and another for collecting Adelaide’s Jake Soligo during Gather Round, plus a two-game ban for a high bump on Bailey Smith served in 2023.
The Demons, represented by Adrian Anderson, pled not guilty on three grounds:
– At the time Pickett committed to bump Moore, the act was not likely to cause injury;
– Pickett was contesting the ball and it was reasnonable to contest the ball in that way, he acknowledges it was a bump;
– The high contact was caused by circumstances outside his control which could not reasonable be foreseen, that of Moore dropping to his knees after Pickett had committed to the bump.
The AFL, represented by Sally Flynn, said the bump is rough conduct by way of a high bump.
The medical report noted Darcy Moore’s estimated games or training sessions missed were TBC, but that’s due to the Magpies’ season being over, and the concussion protocols would have likely applied if they had not missed the finals.
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In the second hearing of the night (estimated 8pm), Carlton fights to free small forward Matt Owies of a dangerous tackle ban.
Owies, one of four Blues to have played every game this season, was handed a one-game suspension for the tackle on St Kilda’s Jack Higgins.
While Owies was awarded a free kick in the moment it was graded as careless conduct with medium impact and high contact.
Blues fans were up in arms given the Bulldogs’ Liam Jones was only offered a fine for a seemingly more violent incident on the same day.
Owies is hopeful of being free to play in the elimination final against Brisbane on Saturday week.
Follow David Zita’s live coverage of the AFL Tribunal below!
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