Collingwood star Jordan De Goey has been sent straight to the Tribunal for his high bump that concussed West Coast’s Elijah Hewett on Saturday afternoon.
The hit was graded as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact by Match Review Officer Michael Christian, which carries with it a minimum of a three-match suspension – which would see him miss the Magpies’ crucial clashes with Melbourne on King’s Birthday, Adelaide and Gold Coast.
De Goey laid out the 18-year old first-year player during the second quarter of the Magpies’ win over the Eagles, with Hewett failing a head injury assessment that ruled him out of the rest of the match as well as next week’s clash with Adelaide.
Speaking to Western Australian radio station 6PR after the match, Eagles midfielder Dom Sheed, who celebrated his 150th game in their loss to the Magpies, called for De Goey’s ban to be a whopper.
“I actually didn’t see it… I kept looking at the big screen and kept missing it. But I heard it was pretty bad,” Sheed said of the bump.
“Watching it back now, I think he deserves a good month or two on the sidelines.”
Other Eagles have been quick to express their regret for not flying the flag for Hewett, with teammate Greg Clark saying the lack of response to De Goey was ‘a bit embarrassing’.
“Personally it was a bit embarrassing, for the team at the time, that we didn’t come in to help ‘Hewie’,” Clark said to the West Australian.
“He’s an 18-year-old, he hasn’t played much AFL, and to get hit like that was massive.
“It’s just a bit of a show of support that we really care for our young boys. When they’re out there, they need to know that we have their backs. Personally I felt a bit bad for not remonstrating.”
Magpies coach Craig McRae has come to De Goey’s defence, describing the incident as one of ‘split seconds’.
“Do I go in and tackle, do I bump, or smother? These happen so many times in a game,” McRae said.
“These split-second decisions that you make, whether you bump or smother, they have to make them out there. It’s hard to practice for those.
“I hope the young lad’s okay. That’s where our concern goes to.”
However, the football world has reacted far more harshly, with outspoken media presenter Kane Cornes describing the hit as a ‘cheap shot’.
“I think that is a weak act… I see it as similar to Tom Stewart’s on Dion Prestia,” Cornes said on the Sunday Footy Show.
“The ball is gone there, he jumps, leaves the ground, and hits an 18-year old in the head.
“I think it’s really poor – I don’t think there’s any excuses for it.”
Speaking on Channel 7, former Essendon captain Jobe Watson was also unimpressed.
“If he got three [weeks] Collingwood would say ‘absolutely, we’ll take it’,” Watson said.
“Four or five is probably not far away from being reasonable, given the outcome. We’re really trying to stamp that out of the game.”
Jimmy
Roar Rookie
You’re gonna have to hang onto that for a long time. Don’t see eagles being competitive anytime soon. Lols that you think you’re getting Harley Reid
Jimmy
Roar Rookie
Troubling math aside I didn’t realise anyone east or north of Perth seriously counted 2006
Jimmy
Roar Rookie
I reckon the material point that all AFL fans other than west coast fans understand is that it’s a bit rich for eagles fans to be up in arms about this when you all defended Gaff’s right to break the jaw of a kid 100 metres behind play.
Jimmy
Roar Rookie
0.45 seconds actually - but you know, keep crying
Jimmy
Roar Rookie
West coast fans have very short memories
.kraM
Roar Rookie
2 :laughing:
Chanon
Roar Rookie
He’s a warrior & the last thing on his mind was this kid is 18 & raw but it wasn’t malicious. Feel for the kid thou on replay he was a split second from protecting himself. Damn unlucky. 3 week’s but if it’s a lengthy suspension 5+ the pies will try & get it reduced.
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
Agree ????, it works in a 13 team game. Even state of Origin had a send for a so called shoulder charge. In AFL we reward teams for taking out players.
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
Yep agree ????. He lined up Prestia, could have pulled out but went the man front on with momentum. Prestia had no legs and wouldn’t surprise me in years to come he has issues. But hey they took out the Tigers best player and won the game by less than a goal. That was the closest any team got to the Cats as they had a clean run to the Premiership.
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
Yep that was lenient for Stewart, he was awarded the tag - Good Bloke! D G won’t be so lucky even though his hit wasn’t as bad.
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
Scribe, I thought 3 when I first saw it but when I think about Broad who got 4, I reckon the same. Having said that not as bad as Tom Stewart who totally and purposely went Prestia and cleaned him up front on and Prestia was basically carried off ( should have been put on a stretcher). That cost the Tigs the game and a finals game in Brisbane and gave the Cats a run at top spot. He got 4 because he is a good bloke! Unfortunately D G will not be seen as a ‘Good Bloke’ so very interesting!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I'm sure he'll get a fine but it's hardly "weak" of him to suggest he wasn't impressed.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
Nothing fair with the bump at all. It was very late, it was shoulder to the head, it was unnecessary, it was stupid with other options. And the AFL has been clear, this is not acceptable & players will be suspended.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
More a stupid decision than a poor call or a dumb decision, given the AFL is trying to get this out of the game, should get 4 minimum. Not a de Goey hater, just think that is what is reasonable.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
But if it's open slather on players commenting...can you imagine with the Gaff incident? Players still playing would have been suggesting he was rubbed out for 2 years?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Do you think Dom is making this decision? It a great way to express an opinion; way better than, "I haven't seen the vision yet."
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Well he’s a Collingwood player so it should be a life ban
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You can't have players deciding suspensions themselves before trial and making their feelings public Don. Dom is no junior, he should have known better but likely felt guilty for not flying the flag as he should have at the time.
tim
Roar Rookie
he got 3, the AFL appealed for 4 and won.
tim
Roar Rookie
It looks a lot like the Tom Stewart one. In both cases, the disposal had been received by the other player before impact, in other words, both were late bumps. And this one is a year later, a year that players should have spent getting the message. The AFL appealed and got 4 for Stewart over the initial 3. By that precedent, I guess the AFL is compelled to repeat the appeal if the Tribunal hands down 3 weeks. I can't see much difference between the two.