Sydney's Isaac Heeney has seen his one-game suspensionย upheld at the AFL Appeal Board, meaning the star Swan remains ineligibleย for the 2024 Brownlow Medal.

On Tuesday the Swans challenged the AFL Tribunal's verdict to uphold Heeney's ban for striking St Kilda's Jimmy Webster from Sunday's Round 17 match, with the case centred on the Match Review Officer's grading of Heeney's conduct.

Sydney challenged Heeney's actions should have been deemed 'careless' rather than 'intentional', only for the Tribunal to support the MRO's view.

On Thursday Heeney and the Swans took to the AFL Appeal Board for one last shot at freeing the in-form midfielder, who has been right in the mix for the Brownlow Medal thanks to a stellar start to his 2024 campaign.

Sydney's argument relied on the following accounts...

  • There was an error of law that had a material impact on the decision of the Tribunal.
  • That the decision was so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it.
  • Classification of the offence was manifestly excessive or inadequate.

... with Counsel Duncan Miller stating that the Tribunal "did not go through a process of reasoning or determine all of the evidence whether the player had the state of mind of intent."

Miller said that the Tribunal "closed its ears" to the evidence provided by Heeney at Tuesday's hearing.

"The evidence makes it plain. Mr Heeney said he made contact with the hands. He intended to make contact with the hand, not knowing [Webster] had stumbled," Miller added.

When showing footage of the incident in question where Heeney turns to check on Webster immediately after the Saints defender is felled, Miller stated: "That's not the action of someone who intended (to strike), that's the action of someone surprised."

Heeney did not provide evidence during the board hearing.

Miller also argued the Tribunal "erred in not forming the view" that Heeney's actions were intentional, and therefore acted "unreasonably".

To conclude his submission, Miller drew attention to Heeney's near 'unblemished' record, having recorded just two fines during his 193-game career.

The AFL doubled down on their stance that won them Tuesday's hearing.

"The whole point about the clause is to say that if it is a strike then it is deemed to be intentional, unless there's something unusual about it to take it out of that category. A fundamental importance is that there doesn't need to be an intention to strike," AFL Counsel Andrew Woods said in his submission.

"[The Tribunal's finding] was consistent with the evidence. It's clear Webster was struck in the face, whatever Heeney intended... It was a straight forward and appropriate application of the guideline."

An extensive deliberation period led to the long-awaited verdict, which resulted in Heeney's suspension being upheld.

The verdict means Heeney isย unavailable for this weekend's clash with North Melbourne at the SCG.

Heeney is next available to play when Sydney face Brisbane in Round 19.