Tippett did nothing wrong: QC

Updated November 16, 2012 16:30:37

Kurt Tippett's legal counsel, David Galbally QC, says he expects the star forward to be completely exonerated by Monday's AFL Commission.

Tippett faces two charges related to receiving undisclosed payments from third-parties arranged by the Crows over the last three years.

Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg faces three charges over this case, while the former and current general manager of football operations John Reid and Phil Harper will also appear before the Commission.

The club, which is also facing scrutiny over a third-party deal involving skipper Nathan van Berlo, insists much of what it has been accused of in the media is not accurate.

Galbally, meanwhile, believes Tippett will be cleared of any wrongdoing at the end of the two-day commission.

"He's not guilty of having breached any of the codes," Galbally told Grandstand Breakfast.

"I'm not going into whys or wheres because we'll debate that in front of the commission. He's not guilty of anything.

"I don't think he's done anything wrong on the material I have before me. I believe he will be exonerated.

"In my view he has not broken any of the laws and he will be pleading not guilty to (all of the charges)."

Galbally does not dispute that his client agreed to sign with Adelaide three years ago on the proviso he could leave the club at the conclusion of the contract, but does not believe this is contrary to AFL rules and says his client is within his rights to take Adelaide to court for their conduct over this issue.

"Clearly there was an agreement and as a result of that Kurt Tippett's free to sue Adelaide for breach of agreement and misrepresentation," Galbally said.

"We stand by that. He has a legal right to sue Adelaide for misrepresentation or for inducing him into a contract with unconscionable conduct because they induced him into a contract on the proviso they would clear him.

"This is very serious. We're talking about a 25-year-old whose career is at stake. One of the consequences of this is that his livelihood is at stake.

"The Commission have the discretion to deregister him and prevent him going into the draft - for anything up to three years I think it is."

Galbally believes this case is the first of its kind with previous AFL Commissions tending to judge on punishments rather than a party's guilt.

"I dont know of a precedent whereby the full commission has heard a full hearing of a case where a person has pleaded not guilty," Galbally said.

"I might be wrong but I dont know of a situation where that's happened.

"This is not just an issue of penalty, it is an issue of whether the rules have been breached.

"I think it may be the first of its kind."

The QC also reiterated that he will not be seeking to shift blame to Tippett's agent Peter Blucher insisting he has seen no evidence to incriminate the representative.

"Not that we can see at the moment," Galbally said.

"That's not to say something won't bob up in the next 72 hours but not at the moment."

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

First posted November 16, 2012 10:36:41

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We've done nothing yet: Lyon

Updated September 09, 2012 15:44:00

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says the Dockers' elimination final upset of Geelong is no watershed moment and the club hasn't achieved anything yet.

Skipper Matthew Pavlich, who was best afield with six goals, rated Saturday night's 14.12 (96) to 11.14 (80) victory at the MCG as good as any he had been a part of.

"Instinctively it probably is up there with the first finals win that we had a number of years ago now," Pavlich said.

"Particularly against a side that we respect so highly, who have been here and done it many times before, the reigning premiers, with some champion players, we really respect their team and their club.

"So to come out and really perform on the big stage that is the MCG on a Saturday night is pleasing."

But when asked whether the win - just the third finals win in the Dockers' history and first outside of Perth - amounted to Fremantle coming of age as an AFL club, both Pavlich and Lyon said its importance should not be overstated.

"We've finished seventh, we've come and won one final, there's no coming of age," Lyon told reporters.

"This is about one week, one final, that's all it means.

"We get to go to the next grid and have a go.

"We're a serious football club that are about improvement.

"One win doesn't make or break football clubs.

"We haven't achieved anything yet, so let's be really clear on that."

The Dockers next meet Adelaide in a semi-final at Football Park on Friday night.

But Lyon refused to ponder how much further they could go.

"That's just sensational, (speculating on) 'How far can you go?', I haven't got a crystal ball, I don't know," he said.

"That's what the commentators and media (do). It's good to speculate, but I'm not in that business, I'm in the business of staying in the moment.

"The best thing we can do for the next week is to prepare really well."

The Dockers came through injury-free.

Pavlich was treated for calf soreness late in the match and had his calf iced post-game, but said he merely copped a knock and had not sustained an injury of any significance.

AAP

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

First posted September 09, 2012 12:31:16

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North tough talk means nothing: Primus

Updated May 18, 2012 17:09:17

North Melbourne's week of tough talk will count for nothing when their players meet Port Adelaide on Saturday, according to Power coach Matthew Primus.

North coach Brad Scott has been scathing of his players' effort in their three-goal loss to the lowly Western Bulldogs last weekend.

But Primus has warned Scott to expect Port to follow the Bulldogs' winning blueprint when the two teams meet at Football Park.

"Their coach has certainly been saying a lot of things in the press," Primus said.

"But it's how your players come out and want to play."

Primus said Port, seeking to end a six-game losing streak, would topple North if Power players repeated the pressure the Bulldogs put on the Kangaroos.

"We know exactly how they're going to play," Primus said of the Kangaroos.

"Their form in the first four games of the year was pretty good.

"They were disappointing last week but I thought the Bulldogs brought pressure to them - and if we can replicate that, I'm sure we will get the same result as the Bulldogs did.

"A key is putting a fair bit of pressure on them."

Primus made five changes to Port's side, with only one forced by injury.

Those dumped included midfielder David Rodan, who was omitted for the second time this season despite being highly regarded by rival clubs.

Rodan collected 18, 16 and 17 disposals since being recalled in round five - but Primus said that was not enough.

"We're excited by what David can do but he has got to keep continuing to work on what he's struggling to do," Primus said.

"And we're struggling to find a lot of onballers who find a lot of the ball, and David hasn't been able to do that.

"We're just not generating enough of the ball.

"Our top possession winners are 25 or 23 possessions and there's one or two midfielders getting that - not three or four of them.

"We need three or four of them standing up and, if we do that, we will get a result."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, alberton-5014, north-melbourne-3051, sa, vic, australia

First posted May 18, 2012 14:43:39

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