Star Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron is fronting the AFL Tribunal to challenge his one-game suspension in order to play in Saturday’s blockbuster clash with Geelong. Live below!
The Match Review Officer delivered a one-match sanction to Cameron after he laid a dangerous tackle on ex-teammate Jake Lever last Thursday night in the Lions’ win over Melbourne at the MCG.
The act, which saw Cameron lift Lever off the ground and drive him into the ground, was graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact by MRO Michael Christian.
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The Lions pled guilty but attempted to lower the impact grading from medium tolow, and if that failed, attempted to reduce the sanction due to Cameron’s “exemplary record and character”.
There was no injury report to speak of with Lever not needing examination after the tackle.
The Lions thought it necessary to bring up how many goals Cameron has kicked, plus where he ranks among Lions goalkickers all-time and Indigenous players in terms of games played, but also that he has never been suspended.
Brisbane’s legal rep Adrian Anderson said that Lever’s right arm was partially free and his left was fully free during the tackle.
“I felt he was fighting against the tackle. I’ve turned to my right … falling back with momentum,” Cameron said.
“I felt I didn’t have control once I was falling back … Jake weighs 94, 95 kilos. I don’t think there was enough force for him to snap his head like that off the ground.”
Cameron pointed to his own elbow, plus Lever’s left hand, making contact with the ground before Lever’s head did.
“His reaction off that is (Lever) looking for the umpire for a free kick. I thought the force wasn’t there because it was all momentum in the tackle,” Cameron said.
Cameron commits to BIG dumping tackle | 00:30
Cameron admitted Lever’s right arm was pinned and that he rotated Lever to the ground, and said he was trying to protect himself as well.
The AFL’s legal rep Sally Flynn suggested Cameron did not try to slow the momentum of the tackle.
“It’s hard to slow momentum when you’re both falling down. I don’t agree with it being medium impact. I felt there was enough for him to brace before his head hit the ground,” Cameron said.
“His reaction (when) his head hits the ground … I don’t believe there was enough force for that (movement) to happen.”
Cameron conceded it was careless and suggested he could’ve let go “but it was in the moment” and he was trying to stop the ball getting out, saying Lever lifting his feet off the ground rather than holding his feet as a base contributed to the tackle.
“He had one arm free, so I thought that would’ve helped it with the force not being as excessive,” Cameron said.
Indigenous AFL great Eddie Betts and Indigenous elder Gregory Egert provided character references in support of Cameron but the AFL objected to those being provided with Flynn arguing his off-field work did not apply and only on-field good character mattered under rule 19.6.
Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson argued the rule was not exhaustive and thus did not exclude character references like Cameron has received.
Anderson for the Lions looked to cite three previous dangerous tackles which were graded with low impact – Matthew Johnson on Josh Dunkley, Toby Nankervis on Ivan Soldo and Jordan Dawson on Lochie O’Brien.
“This is an example of an inherently dangerous tackle which constitutes medium impact,” Flynn for the AFL said.
“There was clearly a real potential to cause injury.”
Anderson for the Lions had six key points:
– The medical report was clear;
– Lever had his left arm completely free and used it;
– Lever’s right arm was only partly pinned and he could use the bottom of it;
– Lever’s head movement was to look at the umpire;
– Cameron is smaller than Lever;
– the three examples of previous low impact tackles.
Anderson also insisted upon Cameron’s record being exemplary – giving the dictionary definition of the word to the Tribunal.
As things stand, the ban rules Cameron out of Brisbane’s highly anticipated clash with undefeated Geelong on Saturday night at the Gabba.
“If you’ve got one arm free, that will help your case,” Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph told Fox Footy after the incident.
“Cameron’s hope will be that (Lever’s) free arm helps (his case).
“The AFL hates that ‘lift and dump’ action, so (there are) a few competing forces there. I think you’re right on the borderline of a week, though.”
AAP journalist Oliver Caffrey said on Twitter: “Some clarity from the MRO is definitely needed. In less than 7 days, he’s brushed over the Toby Greene tackle with no explanation, fined Nick Vlastuin, now suspended Charlie Cameron. Dog’s breakfast at the moment.”
Follow the Tribunal hearing live below!
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