GEELONG skipper Joel Selwood has deemed Brent Harvey’s hit on him “an accident” and will head to the Tribunal on Tuesday night in a bid to have the veteran’s one-match ban overturned.
Selwood was forced from the field in Friday night’s semi-final with a cut above his eye after a bump from the North Melbourne champion.
In positive news for the Kangaroos, Selwood will be available to attend Tuesday night’s hearing, prior to the All Australian announcement, after the club confirmed on Monday it would challenge the rough conduct charge.
"No I don’t (think he should miss the preliminary final)," Selwood told Channel Nine.
“Those collisions happen throughout the night. We’ve all seen it, it was very minor.
“The contact, I was running at speed, he was running at speed, it happens, accidents happen.
“I got a phone call from (Geelong football manager) Neil Balme this morning and he said ‘Are you free tomorrow night if you’re needed?’ And I said ‘Yeah, I’m available’.
“Obviously (I’ve) got the All Australian dinner tomorrow night and he said the Tribunal would be 5 o’clock if it’s on.”
If his appeal fails, Harvey is set to miss his fourth match in five weeks after he was unsuccessful in overturning a misconduct charge in round 21.
Due to a previous bad record, an early plea would still see the 383-game veteran ruled out of Friday night’s preliminary final against the Sydney Swans.
He does not risk further punishment by challenging and would still be available for the Grand Final if his ban is upheld and the Kangaroos progress.
Selwood moved to play down his comments to the field umpire as he was forced from the ground in the second term under the blood rule.
Television microphones recorded Selwood telling the umpire: “Boomer f—-king jumped in my head.”
He responded on Monday night: “Exactly what it is, heat of the moment. You’re so emotional and you invest so much in the game and the season. And that’s what it is, it’s a final.
“I was more disappointed I was going to be off the ground from anywhere (from) probably three minutes, where you just get the tape around your head (and) get back on, or 10 minutes, where you’re getting stitched up downstairs.
“You feel that you let your side down for not being available for that period of time because you’re down to two on the bench. There’s a lot of factors where you’re spinning there and you’re so heated up.”
It comes after Harvey’s teammate Drew Petrie questioned a possible suspension, prior to the Match Review Panel finding.
“I'm not (worried), no. I look at that and I think was it malicious? No,” Petrie told Channel Nine on Sunday.
“Was it a nasty act? No. Does it happen a thousand times a game? Yes.
“It was an accidental head clash. His shoulder was in.
“For Boomer to cop a week for that, come on.”
