RICHMOND defender Nathan Broad has been suspended for four matches for his sling tackle on Adelaide's Patrick Parnell on Saturday.
Broad's tackle was deemed careless, high contact and severe impact, with Match Review Officer Michael Christian referring the Tiger directly to the Tribunal.
Broad in hot water after brutal tackle
Nathan Broad is likely to find himself on the sidelines after this sling tackle on Patrick Parnell during the first quarter
Parnell spent a couple of minutes on the ground before he was helped off the field by club trainers and was subbed out of the game.
Meanwhile, Charlie Ballard successfully challenged his one-match suspension for striking Essendon's Matt Guelfi. The Suns defender is now free to take on Geelong.
Ballard cops a week for strike on Guelfi
Gold Coast's Charlie Ballard has copped a one-week ban for this hit on Essendon's Matt Guelfi
Ballard free to play
Ballard has been cleared by the Tribunal and is free to play Geelong on Sunday after his one match ban was overturned.
Chairman Jeff Gleeson said the Tribunal accepted his evidence that he intended to fend off Guelfi and did not intend to strike him in the head.
He said the force applied in strikes to the body, like this instance, needed to be greater than strikes to the head to constitute a reportable offence.
"We accept Mr Ballard's straightforward evidence that he intended to fend off Guelfi and did not intend to strike him.
"We find the strike to the head was careless, but not intentional."
Ballard will now receive a fine instead.
That's all from a big night at the Tribunal!
- Michael Whiting
Off to deliberate
After 80 minutes of evidence, and plenty of fun and games with some technical issues, the Tribunal is off to deliberate.
The Tribunal has been instructed that if they decide it was Ballard's intention to commit a strike to the arm, that consequently slid up, then the charge would be upheld.
Now, we wait.
- Michael Whiting
Intentional or careless?
Anderson (Gold Coast) is arguing why they think Ballard should be downgraded from intentional to careless and is citing examples.
First, it's a Willie Rioli hit on Mark Blicavs, after a free kick is already awarded, then a Nathan Wilson "hit to the groin" on Cody Weightman, again after a free kick has already been awarded.
The lawyers have gone backwards and forwards arguing about what constitutes a strike.
Ballard intended to hit Guelfi's arm, not his head, but does his intention to strike his arm exonerate him of further consequences?
Around and round we go!
- Michael Whiting
More from Ballard
Ballard says the initial contact was on "mid, upper arm" and because it was sweaty, it slid up.
"I was disappointed it was given a free kick," he said.
"It didn't feel that hard."
- Michael Whiting
'I was trying to fend off'
Ballard is talking through the incident, saying Essendon players – first Jye Menzie and then Matt Guelfi – were trying to block him from getting to opponent Harry Jones.
"I was getting blocked and I was trying to fend off the players blocking me," Ballard said.
"I ended up fending off Guelfi. First contact went to his arm … then the head. It was all in trying to get to Jones.
"My intent was to not get blocked. They were trying to block me and stop me getting to the body to defend."
- Michael Whiting
What Ballard is contesting
To get this charge downgraded, Ballard is contesting the grading of intentional.
He'll argue that he was trying to fend his opponent off.
Ballard is now speaking.
- Michael Whiting
A break already
Aaaaaaaaaand …. We have a pause already.
Gold Coast is having troubles displaying the additional vision it wants to show to the Tribunal, so has asked for a five-minute break so Ballard's counsel Adrian Anderson can consult the Suns' IT person.
Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson cracks a gag as the Webex meeting is paused.
"You might be able to do better than Mr Campbell's floppy disk, which seems to be the problem," he said.
- Michael Whiting
Ballard case is underway
It's Gold Coast's turn to fight the one-match ban handed to defender Charlie Ballard for his striking charge on Essendon's Matt Guelfi.
It was graded as intentional conduct, low impact and high contact by Match Review Officer Michael Christian.
Ballard's counsel Adrian Anderson has started by saying they have new vision not yet seen by the Tribunal.
- Michael Whiting
Ballard cops a week for strike on Guelfi
Gold Coast's Charlie Ballard has copped a one-week ban for this hit on Essendon's Matt Guelfi
Four matches for Broad
Well, it's a four-match ban for Richmond's Nathan Broad.
Chairman Jeff Gleeson said it was to Broad's credit he was so remorseful and showed contrition, and if it wasn't for that, the sanction might have been longer.
"We repeat tonight, players must do all they reasonably can not to cause avoidable head injuries to fellow players," Gleeson said.
"Every player is now taken to be aware of the damaging and sometimes long-term consequences of concussion."
- Michael Whiting
Deliberation time
After 50 minutes of evidence, the Tribunal is off to deliberate.
The AFL is pushing for Nathan Broad to get four weeks, while the Richmond defender is hoping for three.
Hopefully it won't be too long before we find out.
- Michael Whiting
Not the same as Lycett
The AFL has compared Broad's tackle to that of Scott Lycett's on Ned McHenry in 2021 that earned the Port ruckman a four-week ban.
However, Tovey says there's big differences between these tackles.
He says Broad looks to spin Parnell to get him over the boundary line, whereas Lycett's happened in open play and there was no point in spinning him.
He also says Lycett got under McHenry, deliberately tossing him over his body and into the ground.
Tovey has again leant on Broad's good character, saying his clean record of 110 AFL games and 45 WAFL games should be considered in keeping this suspension at three weeks.
- Michael Whiting
Broad's submission
Tovey (Broad) has outlined Broad's case, centring on his character and the remorse he's shown.
He said it was "self-evidently harmful", but fortunately appeared as if Parnell would serve just the standard 12-day concussion protocol.
Tovey says Broad apologised to Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks post-match and tracked down a phone number for Parnell to text him an apology.
"I don't want you to accept my apology, but I shouldn't have done it," the text read.
"Sorry mate. It was shithouse. I hope you're ok and recover well."
- Michael Whiting
Why the AFL wants a four-week ban
The AFL says the severity of the incident is what should be taken into account here, and why Broad should cop four weeks.
Pane (AFL) says this tackle is "more than less severe and is moving towards a higher grading of severity".
He says, although Parnell has concussion already, there is also further potential to cause injury, such as a neck injury.
Pane says the AFL has already factored Broad's guilty plea and clear remorse in its request for a four-week ban, but a clean playing record to this stage is no reason to have it reduced.
- Michael Whiting
Comparison to Scott Lycett's four-week ban
The AFL has referenced Scott Lycett's tackle on Ned McHenry from 2021 that saw the Port ruckman cop a four-week suspension.
That is what the AFL is seeking here.
Broad's counsel believes three weeks is appropriate, saying that is the panel believes it should be four, he would like it reduced to three for the Tiger's "good character".
- Michael Whiting
Is Lycett in trouble for this tackle on young Crow?
Port Adelaide's Scott Lycett could come under scrutiny for this tackle on Ned McHenry
Broad pleads guilty
We're underway at the Tribunal.
AFL counsel Nick Pane KC has broadly gone over the case outline with a statement from Adelaide's doctor around the concussion suffered by Patrick Parnell.
Pane says that Broad's lawyer, Sam Tovey, has agreed that Broad is pleading guilty and the hearing will now simply be about the length of suspension.
- Michael Whiting
Broad in hot water after brutal tackle
Nathan Broad is likely to find himself on the sidelines after this sling tackle on Patrick Parnell during the first quarter
Broad faces lengthy ban, Ballard challenging
Welcome to our live coverage as Richmond defender Nathan Broad faces the Tribunal for his sling tackle on Adelaide's Patrick Parnell.
AFL.com.au reporter Michael Whiting will bring you everything you need to know from the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 5pm AEDT.
Broad was sent straight to the Tribunal after his tackle on Parnell was graded as careless conduct, high contact and severe impact and he faces a ban of three matches or more.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast's Charlie Ballard is challenging his one-match suspension for striking Essendon's Matt Guelfi during the third quarter of Sunday's match.
That case will follow Broad's hearing.
