Bachar Houli has been suspended for two matches. Will Schofield has been found not guilty and won’t be suspended.
The AFL Tribunal will sit for the first time in 2017 tonight as Will Schofield and Bachar Houli are asked to defend their actions in Round 14. Join The Roar for a live blog of all the developments and the verdits when they come in, with the hearings scheduled to being at 5:30pm AEST.
Schofield was given a two-week ban down to one week with an early plea for striking Clayton Oliver, which came as a shock to many given that the public consensus is that Oliver exaggerated the contact.
Schofield will be hoping he can escape penalty, but it’s not clear what his argument will be, and it’ll be interesting to see if his defense makes any kind of comment about Oliver’s behaviour.
MRP statement
Will Schofield, West Coast, has been charged with striking Clayton Oliver, Melbourne, during the second quarter of the Round 14 match between West Coast and Melbourne, played at Domain Stadium on Saturday June 24, 2017.In summary, he can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea.
Based on the available video evidence and a medical report from the Melbourne Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct with low impact to the head. The incident was classified as a two-match sanction. The player has no applicable record which impacts the penalty. An early plea enables the player to accept a one-match sanction.
Houli was referred directly to the tribunal for knocking out Jed Lamb on Sunday. He’ll get a ban of some sort, but it’s not clear how long.
A key sticking point is likely to be whether or not the contact was intentional. The Match Review Panel found that it was, but Houli’s defense may argue differently.
MRP statement
Bachar Houli, Richmond, has been charged with striking Jed Lamb, Carlton, during the first quarter of the Round 14 match between Richmond and Carlton, played at the MCG on Sunday June 25, 2017.Based on the available video evidence and a medical report from the Carlton Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct with high impact to the head. The incident was referred directly to the Tribunal for its decision, with no early plea available to the player. The player has no record which impacts the penalty.
Join The Roar for a live blog of all the developments and the verdits when they come in, with the hearings scheduled to being at 5:30pm AEST.
Cat
Roar Guru
Didn't say otherwise. Shuey chose to bump. It wasn't a contest for a ball. The AFL have been saying it for years now ... if you choose to bump and get someone high you are in trouble. You are trying to make the two be the same, they couldn't be more different.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Within 5 metres of ball is legal cat.
Cat
Roar Guru
Shuey also played the man and not the ball.
handles
Guest
Sure, neither Cripps nor Rowe missed a match. Rowe didn't even leave the ground. Lewis got three and Hogan got 2 with the discount for early plea. Neither of those jabs can be compared to Houli's full blooded round arm to the jaw that knocked the bloke out cold.
Mattician6x6
Guest
If the mrp saw fit to fine shuey for a perfectly executed hip and shoulder that had no lasting effects on Dangerfield then Viney should of faced a fine at the very least for a clumsy attempt to cause a contest going with the flight 3ft off the ground that caught Hurn high, causing a concussion that has made him miss this week.
Mattician6x6
Guest
By everyone I believe you mean you cat.
Cat
Roar Guru
Try watching without your Eagle googles on. Everyone else has said Viney clearly had eyes for the ball.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Well said JK, apparently head high hits with your feet off the ground are acceptable again. Viney clearly had eye's for Hurn not the ball.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
If we use the inadequate suspensions handed to Jordan Lewis and Jesse Hogan earlier this year as the benchmarks, then 2 weeks for Houli's hit seems about right. I'd argue all three should have got more. Imagine if Jed Lamb was Carlton's best player (say Kruezer, or Murphy or Gibbs, or poor Cripps again) instead of one of their worst. Houli's irresponsible, violent action could have cost Carlton the game. I think blokes should get discounts if they have long unblemished playing careers (e.g. anyone who has played 100+ consecutive games without being cited for anything), but their off-field character is irrelevant. It looks like Houli benefited from the politics of being an ambassador for a minority group.
JK Legend
Guest
the MRP are Laurel & Hardy, 3 stooges and keystone cops all rolled into one. Schofield should never have been suspended in the first place. What about the head high hit on Shannon Hurn by Viney? Hurn is still suffering effects of concussion and won't play this week but there's no report ??? He was it in the head !! The current MRP are a blight and embarrassment on the game.
Bungalow Bill
Guest
point taken, but it was the softest of elbow thrusts as well, looked like it was meant for the chest, not a lot of malice in it.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Unfortunately once the mrp decision was made on Schofield any chance of reprimanding Oliver went up in smoke.
Cat
Roar Guru
Rod
Guest
Two weeks for that hit? I'm incredulous.
Rosey
Guest
Great role models the AFL...You can elbow a bloke in the jaw and get off without being suspended and make the MRP look like idiots in the process.....Clayton's jaw????
anon
Roar Pro
The staging is a different issue. Punish the Melbourne player for staging, but the West Coast player threw a punch/elbow that DID CONNECT with the Melbourne player's face.
bobburra
Guest
Well lets see, are we all laughing tonight? Schofield gets off, probably should not have been reported in the first place, in my opinion Houli only gets 2 after knocking a bloke out. So much for the head being a no go area and 'we" will come down hard on the "sly hit" So much for cleaning up the game. Yes, I am laughing, the tribunal is a joke. Is it any wonder people are droping off the AFL when these sort of decisions are acted on the way that they are.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Should of been a fine nothing more, blame mrp of you need to vent.
Benson
Guest
Great result..!! The staging was sooo lame..a 2 second pause or reaction time, before he flops to ground like a sooky soccer player! Oliver with egg on face now..ah well, its all part of growing up!!
Mattician6x6
Guest
Great result tonight GG.