GWS to take Bedford case to AFL Appeal Board after failed Tribunal bid

GWS will take Monday's AFL Tribunal verdict, which saw Giants small forward Toby Bedford's suspension for rough conduct upheld, to the AFL Appeal Board.

Earlier this week, Bedford fronted the Tribunal after the Giants opted to challenge a one-game suspension that resulted from a Round 24 incident between the GWS player and Carlton's Zac Fisher.

The AFL Match Review Officer initially handed down the charge of rough conduct, viewing Bedford's actions as Careless Conduct, Medium Impact and High Contact.

The challenged verdict led to the Tribunal case on Monday afternoon, which saw the suspension upheld despite the Giants' best efforts to argue the rough conduct charge, as well as the grading of 'medium' impact.

In a case that also saw permission granted for Fisher to offer evidence that would look to help Bedford's plea, GWS were unsuccessful in their challenge.

The Tribunal found that forceful contact was made to Fisher's head by Bedford and that the level of impact warranted a grading of 'medium'.

The New South Wales club are now set to take the Tribunal's decision to the AFL Appeal Board later this week in the hope of clearing the suspension and allowing Bedford to face St Kilda this weekend in the Giants' elimination final.

An appeal of a Tribunal's decision must be made on one of the following grounds:

• An error of law that had a material impact on the decision of the Tribunal has occurred
• The decision of the Tribunal is so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it
• The classification of the offence by the Tribunal was manifestly excessive or inadequate
• or the sanction imposed by the Tribunal was manifestly excessive or inadequate.

The AFL Appeal Board hearing is set to be held on Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm (AEST).