Heavy price for Ling hit
Extract of a story from The Australian, July 15, 2008 FREMANTLE has accepted the eight-match ban handed to utility Dean Solomon, the most severe AFL tribunal penalty in 11 years.
The three-man tribunal handed down an eight-match ban for Solomon’s elbow that left Geelong midfielder Cameron Ling with a depressed fracture of the cheekbone last Saturday. Ling needed surgery and the Cats originally said he would be out for three to four weeks, but it emerged during the hearing that he could be missing for up to six weeks.
It is the biggest single tribunal punishment since Carlton midfielder Greg Williams received a nine-week ban early in 1997 for pushing away field umpire Andrew Coates.
Solomon received 850 demerit points, which equals eight matches and 50 carryover points.
The 28-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, pleaded guilty and again expressed remorse during the hearing for the crude hit.
The report was referred directly to the tribunal, meaning it was up to the jury to decide on the penalty. The usual 25 per cent reduction on the penalty because of his guilty plea did not apply.
Solomon’s old Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy, along with former Bombers teammates James Hird and Adam Ramanauskas, gave character references. Solomon appeared via a video link from Perth and described Ling as a surfing and drinking mate when they catch up at Torquay, near Geelong. He added that they exchanged text messages on Sunday, where Solomon apologised for the incident.
Solomon had also publicly apologised immediately after the game at Skilled Stadium.
“I don’t feel very good at all, I’m quite ashamed of my actions — at the time, I knew straight away I had gone outside the rules,’’ he said in his evidence.
“It hasn’t been easy on myself or my family.’’