AFL Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson says players should consider themselves warned about causing concussions, after Richmond's Nathan Broad was slapped with a four-game ban.
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The three-time premiership Tiger, who described a sling tackle that left Adelaide's Patrick Parnell concussed as "sh--house", was suspended on Tuesday night after pleading guilty to his rough conduct charge.
But Gold Coast's Charlie Ballard had more luck, his one-game ban for striking Essendon's Matt Guelfi thrown out and replaced with a fine, after convincing the tribunal his hit was not intentional.
Richmond had sought a three-game ban for Broad, but the tribunal rejected their argument that his clean record - he had never been suspended in the AFL - was a compelling reason to go down from four matches.
Gleeson accepted Broad was genuinely remorseful after repeatedly reaching out to Parnell after the tackle, but said his actions were "unquestionably dangerous".
"Players must do all they reasonably can not to cause avoidable head injuries to their fellow players," he said.
"Every player is now taken to be aware of the damaging and sometimes long-term consequences of concussion."
AFL lawyer Nick Pane said a four-game ban was appropriate, given the tackle had potential to cause even more serious injury than it did.
Parnell was concussed, but the tribunal heard he is not likely to miss more than one game.
"There was injury ... but there was still a potential for further injury such as a neck injury by the action of a slinging tackle," Pane said.
Broad's lawyer Michael Tovey said Broad had immediately taken responsibility for the injury, and reached out to Parnell via former Tiger Shane Edwards, who is now in Adelaide's football department.
Broad's text to Parnell included: "I don't want you to accept my apology, but I shouldn't have done it. Sorry mate. It was sh--house."
Richmond argued for a three-game ban given the Tiger's "exemplary playing history", having never been suspended in his 109-game AFL career, or in state-league football.
Meanwhile, the Gold Coast's Ballard will be free to play against Geelong on Sunday, with the tribunal finding he had intended to fend off Bomber Guelfi, rather than strike him to head.
Ballard had challenged the grading of his conduct as intentional, arguing he was trying to fend his way past Bomber opponents that were blocking him in rather a careless manner.
"My intent was just to not get blocked really ... I was just trying to avoid that in the most efficient way," he said.
Ballard admitted he had intentionally made contact, but said he tried to connect with Guelfi's arm, before it slid up to his head.
Gleeson agreed, replacing the intentional conduct grading with careless, which results in a small fine.
"Put simply, some blows would be a strike if intended to land on the head, that would not be a strike if intended to land on the arm or chest," he said.
Australian Associated Press
