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Tyrone Vickery: instigator or retaliator?

Roar Rookie
27th July, 2014
10

Richmond’s hardened win over West Coast on Friday night was overshadowed by an ugly incident between Richmond’s Tyrone Vickery and Eagles big man Dean Cox.

Jostling at a ruck contest, Vickery extended his arm across the face of Cox, connecting with his jaw and knocking him unconscious.

He was later subbed out of the match after failing a concussion test.

Cox, who recently announced his retirement come the end of the season, was cleared of any structural damage.

But was it a classic case of the retaliator being pegged as the instigator?

Moments before the actual incident in question, both players exchanged a usual bout of push and shove, however, Cox was warned by the field umpire for clearly elbowing Vickery in the chest.

Only a few rounds ago, Hawthorn’s Brian Lake was suspended for choking North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie, after it was alleged Petrie tried to claw and gouge at Lake’s face only moments prior as they wrestled on the ground.

The former was given a four-game ban, whilst the latter overturned a 125-point penalty.

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Neither action should be condoned or justified in any way, but it shows that sometimes the retaliator is the one that cops a penalty because their actions are twice as forceful as that which was dished upon them.

It is a culmination of frustration, anger and lack of response by the umpire to discipline the original act by the offending party.

Getting on the front foot to lessen the fallout following the incident, Vickery made a public apology.

“In the heat of the game I overstepped the mark with my physicality and aggression,” Vickery said.

“I’m very remorseful for that and I unreservedly apologise to Dean and his family.”

But the apology may count for little given 43.75 carry-over points from an earlier suspension for striking North Melbourne’s Michael Firrito in Round 12 will inflate whatever points he is given for the Cox incident.

Vickery will today find out if he will face the wrath of the MRP or be sent straight to the tribunal.

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