SLAP ON THE WRIST

Pie’s one-match ban for abusing umpire

GLENORCHY defender Josh Grant has escaped a serious sanction from the independent TSL tribunal despite being found guilty of abusive language towards an umpire.

Grant, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of behaving in an abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene manner towards or in relation to an umpire, was last night handed a single-match ban stemming from a match-day report against Lauderdale last Saturday.

This is despite the tribunal not accepting Grant’s version of events, and comes after Lauderdale coach Darren Winter was slapped with a six-game ban for a similar charge in last year’s grand final.

It was alleged Grant turned to the umpire in the second quarter and said, “I’ll meet you out the back at quarter to five”, after a 50m penalty was paid against him following a mark in front of the interchange by Bomber Henry Kerinaiua.

The umpire said the player said something in his direction and he could only make out the words “in charge for two hours”. The reporting umpire said those remarks were then followed up with Grant turning to him on the goal line — after a secondary 50m penalty was paid — and saying: “I’ll meet you out the back at quarter to five.”

The umpire then asked Grant whether he was threatening him, to which he received no audible reply.

The umpire then produced a yellow card and reported the key defender.

The umpire said he did not consider Grant’s behaviour demonstrative nor aggressive but said he felt threatened by what was said and was “thrown off guard”.

Glenorchy Football Club’s defence acknowledged “it was not a smart thing to say”, but while there was agreement from both parties on some of the words said, the umpire did not hear everything.

The defence argued that as the umpire missed some of the exchange, he was unable to have the appropriate context on his words. Glenorchy argued the umpire felt threatened because he did not have context on what was said.

Glenorchy’s defence argued Grant was attempting to ask for clarification on an earlier umpiring decision and said words to the effect of: “I want clarification on what happened, I need a better understanding, I’ll meet you at quarter to five.”

The Pies also shared that Grant’s version of events was supported by nearby players who heard the exchange, but the club did not provide those witnesses at the hearing.

Grant will miss this week’s clash against reigning premier North Launceston at KGV.