The AFL today accepted the decision of the independent AFL Tribunal to dismiss the Rough Conduct charge against Brayden Maynard of Collingwood and will not appeal the decision to the AFL Appeals Board.
In arriving at this decision, the AFL overnight and this morning closely reviewed the reasons delivered by Tribunal Panel.
The incident on Thursday night between Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard and Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw generated passionate debate and the AFL understands that the outcome of this case will not sit well with everyone who watches and plays our game. No-one likes to see a player suffer a serious concussion as Angus Brayshaw did and also see the impact the incident had on him, his family and friends, his team-mates and his club.
Our game’s uniqueness as a contact sport, while celebrated, involves risk of some high contact occurring. The decision to refer the incident to the tribunal was made so the unusual circumstances of this high contact incident could be closely examined, and a thorough and independent process could be run. Whilst the Tribunal’s decision was not the outcome the AFL sought when it issued its match review findings, the AFL respects the reasoning of the Tribunal Panel in arriving at its decision.
The health and safety of players in our game will always be the AFL’s priority and regardless of the tribunal outcome this incident will be subject to close examination at the end of the season.
The AFL has actively taken action to minimise the incidence of concussion in our game and has continued to make considered decisions to protect the health and safety of our athletes, including by making further rule changes to deter avoidable forceful head high contact in our game as has been done in over 30 instances over the past two decades.
