The AFL wishes to advise the Match Review Panel has reviewed the final match played on Easter Monday in round one of the 2016 Toyota AFL premiership season. No charges were laid:
Other Incidents Assessed:
The match day charge laid against Hawthorn’s Ben Stratton for striking the Geelong Cats’ Cory Gregson was assessed. The panel said the ball was kicked slightly behind Gregson, who moved back to his left to take a mark. As Gregson moved back towards the ball, the Geelong player moved into the path of the oncoming Stratton, who was seeking to spoil. It was the view of the panel that Stratton made a legitimate attempt to spoil, but in doing so made high contact to his opponent. It was the view of the panel that Stratton’s actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances and no further action was taken.
The match day charge laid against the Geelong Cats’ Mitch Duncan for striking Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge was assessed. The panel said that after viewing all available footage and speaking to the umpire who laid the report on the day, it was their view that contact was made between Duncan’s shoulder and Hodge’s arm. The umpire laid the report in the belief there was head high contact, but the review of the incident by the umpire and the panel found there was no forceful high contact made. No further action was taken.