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Hawthorn captain James Sicily is back at the AFL Tribunal once again, this time challenging a one-game suspension for kicking. Live updates below!
The superstar defender kicked out at Essendon’s Andrew McGrath after the Bombers backman ran at him during the early stages of their Round 1 clash at the MCG.
The Hawks only moved to contest the impact grading – which was medium, along with intentional conduct and body contact – and if the impact is downgraded to low Sicily would be fined.
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They asked to call Andrew McGrath for evidence, which Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson questioned, because of what the Hawks’ lawyer called the “players code”.
“There is a inevitable human motivation to not say anything or do anything that would negatively impact the prospects of a fellow player playing the next week’s game of football,” Gleeson said.
McGrath said on SEN on Monday morning he felt the impact was “pretty innocuous” and he “didn’t even really realise that he put his foot into the back of me, which sort of suggests how severe the kick was”, and the Hawks believed his answers to the Tribunal would be similar.
The AFL argued leave should not be granted to permit the “victim player” to be called, with Gleeson pointing out when the victim is called there is often “pressure” on them to defend the player charged.
The Hawks were not allowed to call McGrath, nor to put the transcript of McGrath’s SEN interview into evidence.
Representing the AFL, Sally Flynn said: “Kicking another player is an inherently dangerous act that has no place in football.
“That has the potential to cause a much more serious injury, particularly in the case where the victim player should not be reasonably expecting or be reasonably prepared for contract.”
St Kilda champion Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy’s The First Crack that “I don’t know if this is really worth a week.
“I think there’s a little bit of ‘James Sicily tax’ in that.
“It’s a sweeping little brush to his thigh, I don’t think that deserves a week. I think (it’s) because it’s James Sicily.”
But AFL 360 host Mark Robinson angrily declared kicking is “one of the real low acts in football”.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Robinson said.
“They shouldn’t challenge (the suspension). James Sicily deserves to get suspended for that.
“‘I didn’t kick him hard’, what sort of defence is that? It’s absolute rubbish.”
The hearing gets underway at 5pm AEDT – follow live updates below.
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