Brisbane Lions star Charlie Cameron has failed in his bid to overturn a three-match ban for rough conduct, with the AFL arguing he should have released West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan from a tackle instead of going to ground.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
In the first of three cases before the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night, Cameron pleaded not guilty, saying his actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances.
But after deliberating for 45 minutes, AFL tribunal chair Renee Enbom disagreed and upheld the ban.
"Contrary to Cameron's evidence, we consider the vision clearly captures Cameron taking Duggan to ground forcefully," she said.
"It is the combination of the excessive force used in driving Duggan backwards with both of his arms pinned that makes the tackle unreasonable in the circumstances.
"Those two features put Duggan in a highly vulnerable position."
Duggan hit the back of his head on the turf after being tackled by Cameron and was subbed out of the Eagles' 13-point loss on Sunday with concussion.
The incident was assessed by match review officer Michael Christian on Monday as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
Cameron, who controversially escaped suspension from a dangerous tackle charge earlier in the season on good character grounds, said he lost his balance when his leg got caught up with Duggan.
"I thought I had him, then I lost my footing when he was fighting the tackle and it caused me to lose my balance," he told the Tribunal.
"I intended to stand up in the tackle ... but he rotates his body and twists, so he's dragging me down when we get our feet tangled."
The AFL's lawyer Lisa Hannon said Cameron could have released Duggan's right arm as they began falling to ground, and argued the Lions star didn't need to drive his Eagles opponent into the Optus Stadium turf with force.
"The fact Cameron's foot may've become entangled with Duggan's was entirely foreseeable and not an exceptional circumstance in a close up tackle," Hannon told the Tribunal.
Cameron believed his coaches would be frustrated with him had he done what Hannon was suggesting.
"If I let him go in the tackle, I'd be in trouble," he said.
"I was trying to lock the ball inside my forward 50. Not a good look defensively (if he let go of the tackle)."
Cameron will miss crucial games against ladder-leaders Sydney, Gold Coast and St Kilda as last year's grand finalists, who have won six-straight games, surge to try and secure a top-four berth.
But Brisbane haven't ruled out taking Cameron's case to the AFL appeals board, which Sydney star Isaac Heeney unsuccessfully attempted last week.
Meanwhile, GWS are challenging Toby Bedford's rough-conduct ban, which was graded the same as Cameron's.
Bedford pinned Tim Taranto's arms in a fourth-quarter tackle and the star Richmond midfielder's head hit the ground as the pair fell forward.
Taranto, a former Giant, appeared dazed when he got up and did not pass a concussion test.
Giants defender Lachie Whitfield expressed his dismay at the findings.
"We're all a bit shocked by the three weeks," Whitfeld said.
"When I read that ... I was honestly astonished."
Gold Coast's Alex Davies was charged with forceful front-on contact after bumping Lachie Jones in the head while the Port player was bent over the ball.
The incident was classified as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
Davies will front the tribunal after the completion of Bedford's case.
Davies' Suns teammate Malcolm Rosas Jr accepted a one-match ban for striking Port's Logan Evans with an off-the-ball elbow.
Australian Associated Press
