The speculation over the future of Jobe Watson’s Brownlow Medal will finally be put to bed when the AFL Commission holds a meeting next month.
After months and months of conjecture about whether the former Essendon skipper will be allowed to keep the award for the competition’s best and fairest player, the AFL announced the Commission will meet on November 15.
The date for the meeting was confirmed following the news that the Swiss Federal Tribunal dismissed the appeal of the 34 current and former Bombers against the bans handed down by the Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS) earlier this year.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan released a statement on the Commission meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
“The AFL accepts and acknowledges this tribunal ruling and the AFL Commission repeats the statement it made when the CAS finding was handed down in January earlier this year – the AFL is fully committed to clean sport, for the sake of all players from all clubs in our competition,” the statement read.
“The final decision by the Federal Tribunal means that the AFL Commission must now consider the matter of the Brownlow Medal, which was won by Jobe Watson for the 2012 season.
“As stated earlier this year, it is the AFL’s view that the AFL Commission must determine this matter.”
The dismissal of the Bombers’ players appeal has made it likely for Watson to be stripped of his 2012 Brownlow Medal, given the offences for which he and the other 33 Bombers were suspended for took place that year.
If the medal is stripped by the AFL Commission, it will likely be awarded instead to the joint runners-up from 2012, Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin.
The timing of the meeting – more than a month after its announcement – has raised some eyebrows, but McGlachlan’s statement defended the month-long lead-up to the fateful day.
“The next Commission meeting in November will provide the appropriate amount of time for all relevant parties to prepare.”
D Fitz
Roar Rookie
TomC, I believe it is improper for the AFL to invite submissions from Cotchin and Mitchell and that they have both declined to make submissions. Maybe the AFL were hoping C and M would decline receiving the medal to save them from having to make the decision.
TomC
Roar Guru
The Fairfax press is reporting that Mitchell and Cotchin will be given the opportunity to present to the AFL commission on this subject. Surely that's a case of miscommunication? They couldn't possibly be expected to apply to have another player's medal taken away.
joe
Guest
Total farce indeed but it does seem to me like the afl want this dragged out so they can get lots of praise when they finally take his award.almost hodge like bravery from the afl just take the bloody thing
Dangertroy
Guest
This is a total farce - the AFL is just stalling, praying that watson will return the medal, saving them from actually having to make a decision about this. They have known that the decision was coming all year and it had two outcomes. They should have decided what they were going to do in the event of a negative result and let Watson know. But to now put it off for another month? Cowardice. Just make a decision and move on.
D Fitz
Roar Rookie
The Commission say they are making sure Jobe has enough time to prepare his submission. Anyway, what's another month after four years ? Also, Jobe's two sisters are getting married so there is no hurry.
Brian
Guest
yes other then whether to award it to cotchin and mitchell it hardly needs a meeting. jobe should of already handed it back.
Birdman
Guest
Clearly the AFL treating the matter with the appropriate level of urgency that it thinks it deserves - gutless but typical.
Camo McD
Roar Guru
Suppose they need to consider whether Mitchell and Cotchin are given the medal (most likely) or if it just goes unrewarded for the year but surely they're not still seriously considering Jobe being allowed to keep it.
anon
Guest
Watson needs to do the honourable thing and hand it over. Gill needs to do the manly thing and take it off him.