A DAMNING secondary angle of Mason Cox's controversial bump on Dylan Grimes proved the defining factor in the Match Review's decision to slap the Collingwood forward with a one-game suspension.
The original goalpost vision of the incident, which appears to show Grimes running into Cox as he enters the frame, drew conjecture over whether the Tigers defender had simply run into the 211cm American.
However, the new camera angle, shown first on AFL.com.au's The Verdict, shows Cox took three steps off his line towards Grimes, and satisfied Match Review Officer Michael Christian of the Collingwood forward's intent to bump his opponent.
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"The ball is some 35m away," Christian said of the incident.
"We know you're allowed to bump within 5m of the ball. But when you elect to bump that far off the ball, it becomes intentional.
"You can see Mason making ground here and taking three steps to make contact with Dylan, so we were certainly satisfied that it was an intentional action."
A medical report from Richmond, which is believed to have shown that Grimes was treated for head-related injuries, also led to Christian grading the incident as high contact.
That subsequently equated to a one-match ban via the AFL's classifiable offences table.
"Watching the vision, we're able to look at all of the different angles and slow the vision down," Christian said.
"We were satisfied that just near the point of Mason's shoulder made contact with Dylan's head. That's why it was graded high. That was reinforced by the medical report from Richmond."
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Collingwood will challenge the ban at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night, with Cox's representatives able to argue against any of the intentional conduct grading, the low impact grading, or the high contact grading.
Should his ban not be overturned, Cox will miss Saturday night's Grand Final rematch against West Coast at the MCG.
Almost immediately after the incident, Grimes caught Collingwood forward Jamie Elliott with an elbow to the head, earning himself a one-match suspension.
The Richmond defender officially accepted that penalty on Monday, meaning he will miss next Saturday afternoon's game against Greater Western Sydney.
Will Dylan Grimes face Match Review scrutiny for this strike on Jamie Elliott?#AFLTigersPies pic.twitter.com/gnSoYokZn3
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) March 28, 2019
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