Gold Coast were unsuccessful in their efforts of acquitting Alex Davies of his three-match ban, meaning he will miss clashes against GWS, Brisbane and West Coast.
Davies was offered a three-match suspension from the Match Review Officer (MRO) for forceful front-on contact on Port Adelaide's Lachie Jones during Sunday's clash at People First Stadium.
The MRO graded the incident as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, constituting a three-week layoff.
Alex Davies has received a three-match suspension for this incident involving Lachie Jones.
Full Match Review findings: https://t.co/37gRfPtspY pic.twitter.com/QgeMdWGfrn
— AFL (@AFL) July 15, 2024
Jones suffered a concussion as a result of the contest and has entered the AFL's mandatory concussion protocols, missing at least the Round 19 clash against Richmond.
Gold Coast counsel Adrian Anderson says that Davies was contesting the ball and it was reasonable for him to do so in that way, therefore wasn't a reportable offence.
The Suns youngster declared that he was contesting the ball, with his eyes squarely on it.
"My eyes were on the ball and my intention was to get the ball."
"I got there first with the correct technique... If I lunged like Lachie had, I would've put myself in a vulnerable position."
AFL counsel Sally Flynn suggested alternatives to how Davies could've approached the contest, questioning that he "didn't need to turn (his) body to the extent (he) did".
"Davies does tuck his right arm in prior to making contact with Jones' head."
"Davies was not truly contesting the ball at the time of impact. He doesn't do anything to gather the ball just prior to impact."
Anderson and Davies disputed that the Suns midfielder tucked his arm but instead engaged with the proper technique, which was shown by the club via an AFL Play video that instructs players how to safely retrieve a football in the contest.
The Tribunal accepted that the technique is sound when gathering a contested ball.
"We find Davies was second to the ball, he was attempting to gather the ball while bumping or making contact with Jones.
"Davies hit the contest at some speed. He was aware, or should reasonably have been aware, that Jones had touched or fumbled the ball and was attempting to gather it.
"Davies could have turned or moved in such a way as to avoid or minimise impact to Jones' head and shoulders.
"A reasonable player would not use that technique if, as here, he should realise that his opponent has his head down over the ball."
As a result, the Suns midfielder will be unavailable for the next three matches, including Saturday's clash with GWS.
