Stewart cops 10 weeks

Punch that broke player’s jaw was ‘out of character’ for veteran

A REMORSEFUL Mark Stewart has apologised for the hit that left his former premiership teammate Sean O’Neill with a potential season-ending broken jaw.

Stewart, a decorated country footballer who has represented Vic Country and claimed All-Australian honours, copped a 10-match ban at the Colac & District Football League tribunal for two separate striking incidents on May 12.

He copped two weeks for striking Birregurra’s Tom Stephenson and a hefty eightmatch ban for his punch to the head of O’Neill, who played with the Colac Imperials ruckman in Newcomb’s 2007 flag.

O’Neill has endured surgery to repair his broken jaw and will go under the knife again tomorrow.

The former Colac Imperials and Thomson star is out indefinitely as he recovers from the hit.

The tribunal, chaired by Ted Ivermee, came down hard on veteran Stewart, who on Tuesday night was given his first suspension in decades of senior footy.

“The tribunal thought it was very serious, but in Mark’s defence, he felt there were mitigating circumstances leading up to the incident,” CDFL chairman Peter Mulheron said. “From the tribunal’s point of view, they dealt with the result, rather than the lead-up. At the end of the day we’re responsible for our actions.”

Colac Imperials president Peter Lucas revealed yesterday that Stewart was very remorseful and had apologised to O’Neill.

“Ultimately he was responsible for a player receiving an injury. He accepts that, he pleaded guilty at the tribunal,” Lucas said.

“As soon as Mark became aware of the injury he made an attempt to contact Sean.”

Lucas stressed that the incident, in which Stewart struck O’Neill to the head with a fist, not an elbow as reported, was “completely out of character”.

“He’s played over 500 games of football, many of them in the Geelong region, and many of your readers would have seen Mark play and formed the opinion themselves that this was so out of character for a man whose reputation precedes him,” he said.

“He’s played VFL, state league in South Australia, won league best and fairests.

“The club has accepted the decision and there was never going to be consideration of an appeal.

“Hopefully Mark continues to train and pass on his knowledge to our young group and by Round 18 we hope he’s back, fit and in line for selection.”