Port Adelaide has decided to challenge the AFL Tribunal's process and decision to hand defender Dan Houston a five-game suspension for rough conduct, with a meeting at the AFL Appeals Board to take place this week.
Houston's long ban was handed down after a 100-minute hearing on Tuesday evening, with the Tribunal going with the AFL's plea for a five-week ban after Houston was referred directly to the Tribunal for his bump on Adelaide's Izak Rankine.
Port Adelaide pushed for a three-game suspension, which would have meant Houston would be available to play in this year's grand final if the South Australian club was to reach the season decider.
Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson stated in his summation that Houston's actions warranted a five-match ban and that "missing finals, and potentially a grand final" did not impact their process.
"The carelessness was significant, the impact was severe. The immediate consequences for Rankine were evident. He was concussed, it appears his shoulder was hurt, and there was the potential for more serious injury," Gleeson said of the incident.
Clubs can appeal a Tribunal's verdict on as many as four grounds, with one of the following points needing to be submitted and accepted at the Appeals Board.
- 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.
- The classification of the offence manifestly was excessive or inadequate.
- The sanction imposed was manifestly excessive or inadequate.
The Appeal Board hearing will take place on Thursday at 6:00pm (AEST) and 5:30pm (ACST).
port are of the opinion he did nothing wrong – he was, after all, following a gameplan……