‘CONFUSED’ TIGERS RULE OUT BAN APPEAL:
Anderson out for two
TORQUAY has decided against an appeal after its spearhead Lucas Anderson had his suspension for rough conduct doubled to two weeks by the AFL Barwon tribunal on Tuesday night.
Tigers coach Dom Gleeson said the BFL club was “confused” after Anderson’s charge for a bump on Drysdale’s Chris Lynch on Saturday was increased from one game to two.
Anderson was hoping to be free to play in the 2019 grand final rematch against Barwon Heads this weekend but will now miss key games against the Seagulls and Modewarre.
Gleeson said the Bellarine powerhouse had considered its options, including an appeal to AFL Victoria, but decided not to seek a review.
“I’m not sure how and why it was increased to a two-week suspension, particularly (given) our advocate was so confident with our appeal,” Gleeson said.
“No doubt there will be an explanation in the coming days.
“You see a hundred of these (types of incidents) throughout the course of the year.
“He’s obviously really disappointed and, as a club, we are too.”
Anderson, the competition’s leading goalkicker with 20 majors from three matches, was reported by the umpire for his bump.
The ball was in dispute when Anderson collected Lynch high.
The Drysdale veteran played out the game and Anderson pleaded not guilty at the tribunal to a charge of making unnecessary contact to the face.
Gleeson said more needed to be done to help local players understand potential penalties for high bumps.
“I don’t see where the learning point was at either because no one gets to see the vision,” he said.
“There’s no one talking to the vision. It’s not like the AFL where it’s broadcast and you get to learn from it.
“No one’s actually learning from this.
“As a league and footballers and, as a coach, we’ve got to educate our players in what we can and can’t do.
“There’s no one coming out saying, ‘OK, this instance is a two-week suspension, this is what he should have done, this is the skill to execute while you’re doing it’. We don’t get any of that.”
Gleeson said he had sought clarity on the charge.
“By all reports, Chris Lynch … suggested it got him in the neck. I think we went in with that and I think we went in with some other criteria where the ball actually (bounced) at right angles, so it actually put Chris in a really vulnerable position,” he said.
“We’re disappointed, a bit confused but obviously the explanation will come through.
“We went in, what seems to be quite cocky now, thinking that it will get, not thrown out, but heard (and) the decision will go our way.”