All-out Derrick defence

PBC bring in barrister to fight Cats’ complaint

PALM Beach Currumbin have engaged high-profile barrister Adrian Anderson as the club prepares to launch an all-out defence of their QAFL captain Jesse Derrick.

Controversy has surrounded Derrick’s ban for a slinging tackle on Broadbeach’s Robert Blood during the weekend’s qualifying final between the Gold Coast rivals.

Blood was knocked uncon- scious in the contest when his head hit the Salk Oval turf and was subsequently hospitalised.

Derrick’s tackle was met with a grade three charge and a three-match suspension, with the offer of a two-week ban instead if the Lions entered an early guilty plea.

On Tuesday night, however, PBC successfully argued for a reduced penalty of a single match – an outcome that has drawn the ire of the Cats. Labelling the one-game ban “manifestly inadequate”, Broadbeach have lodged an appeal which will be heard in Brisbane on Wednesday week.

Lions president Anne Cornish declared her club would throw everything at keeping Derrick’s season alive.

“(We are taking it) very, very seriously,” she told the Bulletin.

“He’s the captain and is an excellent player and well respected. He deserves the best possible defence that we can give him.”

That will see them fly up barrister Anderson, who is well known as a former AFL football operations manager, from Melbourne to represent Derrick at the hearing.

“Don’t get me wrong, the tackle was hard … it was unfortunate,” Cornish said. “We are very remorseful and he is very remorseful about the injury that was incurred.

“We went to the tribunal on Tuesday night and pleaded guilty; we just asked for the reduced penalty because of his impeccable record.

“He has played over 235 games in senior football plus 30 games of pre-season plus another 12 state games for Queensland and he has never been suspended.”

Cornish said there was no intent in the tackle, supported by the careless charge assigned.

Anderson was actually called on as a character reference for Derrick at the original hearing on Tuesday.

Derrick will miss tomorrow’s grand final qualifier with Labrador. His season beyond that hinges on the appeal.

If PBC win, they will surge straight into the decider.