In a blow for Greater Western Sydney, however, forward Devon Smith failed in his bid to overturn a striking charge and will be sidelined for one match. 

 

May did not risk an extra week on the sidelines by challenging at the Tribunal after he was charged for his bump on Brisbane Lions forward Dayne Zorko at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

 

And the free swing paid off, with the jury of Wayne Henwood, David Neitz and Wayne Schimmelbusch finding he had not made contact to Zorko's head or neck.

 

"My shoulder and chest made contact with his shoulder and chest … our heads did not clash," May told the Tribunal. 

 

"I made first contact with his shoulder and chest region and if I did get him in the head it would have been minimal contact.

 

"I felt it was too late to tackle him as the ball was about to leave his boot. I don't think I had an alternative."

 

Earlier, in the first sitting of the Tribunal for 2014, Smith's striking charge was upheld after an application from GWS to call Demons midfielder Bernie Vince to give evidence was denied. 

 

Smith struck Vince in the back in the second quarter of Sunday's clash at Spotless Stadium, drawing 125 demerit points.

 

Because of his poor record, Smith was offered a one-match ban with 93.75 carry-over points, meaning the 20-year-old couldn't accept a reprimand with an early guilty plea.

 

Based on video evidence and a medical report from Melbourne, the offence was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact.

 

"He (Vince) is a mate of mine and as we got up I gave him a push," Smith told the Tribunal.  

 

"It was a wet day, he lost his footing, and the rest is history.

 

"After that I looked at Bernie, he smiled at me and gave me a wink."

 

AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson encouraged the jury to reject Smith's evidence that Vince had lost his footing in the wet and said there was sufficient force in the strike to constitute a report.

 

"Here there is a completely unsuspecting player, unguarded and unable to protect himself," Gleeson said.

 

Smith's advocate Sean Carroll used behind-the-goal footage to show Vince continued to play and take part in multiple contests after he was struck.

 

"If this level of force is used to gauge a reportable offence, we'll have players reported time and time again," Carroll told the Tribunal.