Mumford cleared to play decider

Updated September 24, 2012 13:25:43

Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford is free to play in the grand final against Hawthorn after the match review panel found he had no case to answer following an incident with Collingwood's Chris Dawes on Friday night.

Mumford came under scrutiny following an off-the-ball incident with Dawes, who entered the preliminary final at the Olympic stadium hampered by a knee injury.

Dawes complained to a field umpire after the pair clashed during the Swans' 26-point win, leaving Mumford in danger of missing the decider for misconduct after making contact with an injured player.

But after reviewing fixed camera footage of the incident the MRP concluded that "no reportable offence occurred," clearing the way for Mumford to take part in his first grand final.

The AFL Tribunal will not sit tonight as no other incidents were lodged from the weekend's preliminary finals.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic

First posted September 24, 2012 13:13:30

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Buddy cleared of sling tackle charge

Updated June 12, 2012 14:22:26

Hawthorn can breathe a sigh of relief after star forward Lance Franklin was cleared by the AFL's match review panel of a sling tackle.

Franklin, who leads the Coleman Medal goalkicking list from Richmond's Jack Riewoldt, was put on report for his tackle on Port Adelaide's Paul Stewart in the final quarter of the Hawks' win on Sunday.

The Hawthorn spearhead threw Stewart to the ground after the Port player lost possession of the ball in a similar incident to that involving Adelaide's Taylor Walker three weeks ago which cost the Crow a two-match ban.

The panel found that Franklin did not have both of Stewart's arms pinned in his tackle and took his opponent to the ground in one continuous motion.

It also found the tackle was not unreasonable and Franklin did not use excessive force.

He will now be eligible to play in the Hawks' next match against Brisbane at the MCG on Sunday.

Essendon's Aaron Davey has been given a three-match ban by the panel for his bump on Sydney's Daniel Hannebery in the third quarter of the Bomber's loss to the Swans.

Davey can accept a two-match ban with an early plea.

The Fremantle Docker's Hayden Ballantyne has been rubbed out for the second time this season, receiving a one-match ban for striking Richmond's Chris Newman.

His Dockers' team-mate Ryan Crowley, who last week was reprimanded for staging, can accept a $900 fine with an early plea for making an obscene gesture during Fremantle's win over Richmond.

Geelong's Josh Hunt can accept a $1350 fine for standing on Carlton's Eddie Betts in the Cats' Friday night win over the Blues at Docklands.

Hawthorn's Liam Shiels and Port Adelaide's Danyle Pearce have been charged with wrestling in Sunday's match at Football Park. Both players can accept a $900 fine with an early plea.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted June 11, 2012 15:00:15

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Swans duo cleared of serious injury

Updated April 30, 2012 16:27:32

Injured Sydney duo Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Nick Malceski have been cleared of structural damage and could be fit to face Adelaide at the SCG on Saturday.

Tall utility Roberts-Thomson, who only recently returned from a fractured cheekbone, suffered another facial cut in Sunday's AFL win over Hawthorn.

Dashing half-back flanker Malceski incurred a knock to his knee during the game in Launceston, which Sydney won by 37 points to extend their perfect season record to 5-0.

"LRT's face and also Nick Malceski's knee are both OK structurally, we will just see how they go later in the week," Sydney coach John Longmire told reporters on Monday.

"Hopefully they will both be able to play. One of them might play, I'm not too sure, but will see how we go on Thursday's training session."

Longmire wasn't getting too excited about Sydney's scintillating start to the season, more focused on the next challenge of tackling Adelaide (4-1).

He said the reason behind the Swans' success wasn't rocket science and they needed to maintain the pressure footy that helped dismantle the Hawks in the second half.

Longmire acknowledged the importance of beating a legitimate title contender.

"It's important for players' confidence to be able to do that," Longmire said.

"The players we have brought into the team over the last couple of years, and even this year, are younger players and have been able to play their roles really well."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, australia

First posted April 30, 2012 16:07:53

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Whitecross cleared by tribunal

Updated April 12, 2012 10:52:59

Hawthorn has hailed Brendan Whitecross' acquittal at the AFL tribunal as a win for common sense.

After a hearing that lasted for more than an hour and a half, the tribunal jury took 10 minutes on Wednesday night to find that the Hawks forward was not guilty of rough conduct against Geelong captain Joel Selwood.

Whitecross not only beat a two-match suspension, but also received widespread praise at the hearing for the concern he showed Selwood immediately after their collision during the epic Easter Monday match at the MCG.

"The concern he showed to his opponent was very commendable," said tribunal chairman David Jones after Whitecross was found not guilty.

The match review panel charged Whitecross with rough conduct after Selwood ran into him during the frenetic last term.

The Cats star was left dazed by the contact and had to briefly leave the field.

The jury agreed with the Hawks' well-argued case that the incident was a collision, rather than a high bump.

"Common sense has prevailed, because this is a really tough game to play," Hawks football manager Mark Evans said.

"Things happen so quickly and if you take things frame by frame or slow motion, you can get a distorted view as to what is realistically available as an option for a player."

Whitecross said in his evidence that Selwood had rung on Tuesday to thank him for his concern after the collision and to express regret that a charge had been laid.

He could have accepted a one-match ban with an early plea and was risking a two-week suspension by going to the tribunal.

"I'm absolutely relieved ... with the speed of the game and the context of the game, it was just unavoidable," Whitecross said after the hearing.

While the jury had to consider several factors in their deliberation, Whitecross had a lot in his favour.

Field umpire Dean Margetts, who was closest to the incident, had not paid a free kick and said in his testimony that he thought Whitecross had done anything wrong.

Margetts said the video evidence that formed the basis of the report had not change his mind "too much".

He added the match was played at "finals-like intensity" and described it as a "concertina" collision where Selwood was caught between Whitecross and fellow Hawk Cyril Rioli.

Tribunal advocate Jeff Gleeson argued that video footage taken on the opposite angle from where Margetts saw the incident suggest that Whitecross had moved to make contact with Selwood.

But the Hawks argued that Whitecross was bracing for an inevitable collision that knocked over the two players.

Under sustained cross-examination from Gleeson, Whitecross stuck to his version of events.

"It all happened so quickly, there was nothing else I could have done," Whitecross said repeatedly.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, hawthorn-3122

First posted April 11, 2012 19:57:49

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Naitanui cleared to play

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Jack cleared of serious ankle injury

Posted June 27, 2011 16:37:00

Sydney is hopeful star midfielder Kieren Jack will be fit to play against Adelaide on Saturday after he was cleared of a serious ankle injury.

Jack was subbed off midway through Saturday night's one-goal loss to Collingwood at the Olympic stadium, amid fears he had suffered a recurrence of the injury, which sidelined him for five weeks earlier in the season.

But Swans coach John Longmire says that the 2010 club best and fairest award winner could play against the Crows.

"A lot can happen between now and Thursday. We've got our fingers crossed that he's still a chance," Longmire said.

"He's got to get through the agility session on Thursday before he trains."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000

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Mundy cleared of broken leg

Posted June 13, 2011 19:33:00

Fremantle midfielder David Mundy will spend up to eight weeks on the sidelines despite being cleared of a broken leg.

And goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne is expected to miss two weeks after straining his hamstring in Sunday's 34-point win over Essendon.

It was initially feared Mundy had fractured his fibula, which could have ruled him out for the rest of the year.

But scans showed no crack to the bone, although the Dockers' 2010 best and fairest winner would have to wear a protective moon boot for up to three weeks due to a significant high-ankle sprain.

Mundy and Ballantyne join Adam McPhee, Aaron Sandilands, Nick Suban and Anthony Morabito as key players on the sidelines.

"I don't know what the old adage is, black cats and walking under ladders, but it has been unfortunate (with all the injuries we've suffered)," defender Paul Duffield said ahead of Sunday's clash with Melbourne at the MCG.

Mundy's absence could be offset by the return of fellow midfielder Michael Barlow, who is on track to resume his career against the Demons after making it through two hit-outs in the WAFL.

Barlow, who suffered a broken leg last year, tallied 33 possessions on Saturday for Peel Thunder.

Duffield said fans shouldn't expect Barlow to take up all of the slack left by Mundy, given his limited match practice.

"I think people understand that he's been through a fairly significant injury in the scheme of things, and we've seen players not come back to be the players they were previous to that," Duffield said.

"He's done a mountain of work. He's been super professional in the way he's handled everything and that's shown in the fact that he played so well in his second game back on the weekend after 12 months out.

"I don't think there should be any spectator pressure on Micky.

"He'll be clear on what his role is and he'll go out and do that to the best of his ability.

"I guess (Mundy's) our number one ball-winning midfielder, so it's probably a responsibility that'll come to myself and a couple of others to see if we can at least influence that area of the game and try and match the opposition in that area.

"Certainly, we had a range of players go through the midfield because of that on the weekend and I thought a lot of our guys contributed really well."

Defenders Roger Hayden and Alex Silvagni are also closing in on returns after successful comebacks in the WAFL.

The seventh-placed Dockers (6-5) had lost their past nine encounters at the MCG, but Duffield said the venue held no fear for the player group.

-AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160

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Douglas cleared of blame

Expires:Sunday, September 4, 2011 11:14

The AFL match review panel has cleared Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas of any blame for his clash with North Melbourne's Jamie MacMillan.

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Tags: australian-football-league, sa, adelaide-5000

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Judd cleared of serious injury

Updated May 21, 2011 13:30:00

Carlton expects Chris Judd to be fit for next week's AFL clash with Melbourne despite suffering a sprained ankle in Friday night's two-point loss to Geelong.

The dual Brownlow Medallist midfielder limped off the field just before half-time at Docklands stadium and spent the second half in a forward role.

However ruckman Robbie Warnock, who missed a late shot at goal that would have given the Blues victory, spent the night in hospital after suffering a knock to the head in the closing stages of the match.

He has been cleared of any structural damage.

Blues coach Brett Ratten said Carlton's poor goalkicking in the last term, 3.6 to Geelong's 3.1, was a key factor in the 15.12 (102) to 14.16 (100) loss.

However the Blues mentor was upbeat about Judd's move forward in the second half after the 27-year-old suffered a sprained ankle just before half-time.

"He just couldn't get I suppose the last five or 10 per cent of his power to run through the midfield so we thought we'd play him forward," Ratten said.

"It was a great goal that left-footer and he looked dangerous all the time up there so it was worth keeping him out there.

"It's good for our (midfield) group to have to adjust and take up the slack when Chris is not in there.

"He's a great player to play forward and for Chris' longevity he needs to play forward a little bit more in his games."

Ratten said the Blues showed a great hunger to compete, although he was critical of goalkicking and concentration errors.

"It hurt us. Three goals six in the last quarter to three-one, we had our chance," he said.

"It was 15 inside-50s to nine but we couldn't put it through the big sticks."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, carlton-3053, melbourne-3000

First posted May 21, 2011 11:54:00

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