Port star cops four-week ban
Port Adelaide’s Sam PowellPepper has been handed a four-match suspension by the AFL tribunal after a marathon deliberation and despite a declaration from a biomechanist that the hit that concussed Adelaide’s Mark Keane was in line with a “tackle pattern” rather than a bump.
It’s a win for the AFL, which was unsuccessful last year in pushing for four-match bans for high hits, and comes a week after Melbourne premiership star Angus Brayshaw medically retired because of a spate of concussions, and with the league now the sole focus of a united class action involving 100 players battling the effects of concussion.
The verdict came after a deguilty liberation of nearly two hours by the tribunal panel.
Powell-Pepper, 26, was sent straight to the tribunal for the bump in last Friday’s match simulation against Adelaide that resulted in the Crows defender being heavily concussed and unable to return to the game.
The Port star was cited for rough conduct and pleaded in his hearing on Wednesday and was adamant that his “sole intention was to tackle”, with biomechanist Kate Shorter trying to make that case for him.
But in line with the matchreview officer classifying the contact as careless, high and of severe impact, Powell-Pepper was handed the hefty ban in an early-season statement by the tribunal.
Last season, the AFL asked for four-week suspensions for several high bumps, but the offending players only received three weeks.
The AFL made an amendment to the tribunal rules for 2024 in a bid for more high hits such as Powell Pepper’s to earn heavy suspensions.