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Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 3:45 pm
by Ossie
Dustin Fletcher, Essendon, has been charged with a Level Two tripping offence against Barry Hall, Western Bulldogs, during the second quarter of the Round 10 match between Essendon and the Western Bulldogs, played at Etihad Stadium on Friday May 28, 2010.
In summary, his previous poor record means that his one-match sanction must remain at one match, even with an early plea.
The incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point). This is a total of five activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Two offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of one match suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 10 per cent to 137.50 points. An early plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to 103.13 points and a one-match sanction.
You what?
Since when was tripping by hand even a reportable offence?
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 3:47 pm
by F111
Oh bugger...he might be gone, even though his tripping history is of a different variety and ages ago.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 3:48 pm
by robrulz5
Hasn't he had a good record lately?
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 3:54 pm
by little_ripper
1 week.
Swans will love that....be interesting if our backline can handle itself without him
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:35 pm
by ealesy
Thought he was in trouble the moment I saw it.
Was a stone cold intentional trip, which was stupid because either way from that position Barry Hall was going to score a goal. When you are a bloke who has been done for tripping 4-5 times throughout your career, including being the first bloke not just suspended but also reported for tripping by hand in over a decade it is sheer stupidity to even contemplate tripping a bloke.
Not smart play by Fletcher and probably deserves a week for sheer stupidity.
On the other hand he doesn't risk a longer penalty, so they should take it to the tribunal and argue that he was merely trying to tackle Hall and it slipped down, try and get it downgraded from intentional to reckless or negligent.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:16 pm
by Mrs Mercuri
The club should challenge this i reckon but it isnt looking good for Fletch this week.... lucky Bradshaw is out for the Swans.
Hurley would have to play permanent back with Pears. Ryder and Hille forward would be enough to support Gumby.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:27 pm
by paddyl90
Not too concerned for this week but surely a little bit of leniency on this would be fair. what is he supposed to do? just let him run into an open goal. I saw midway through the last quarter daniel cross stick his boot out in front of prismall but of course that is missed. reminds me a few years back he got done for tripping by hand when he fell to the ground chasing a player and his arm was outstretched towards the player a d he got done. overall just take one so he is back for cats match.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:36 pm
by little_ripper
Lets face it, if the AFL wanted to make a DVD to illustrate what an intentional trip is, they'd probably use footage of Fletch.
He has done it in the past and did it again. Was stupid and he'll take the early plea.
Its not as if the incident is 50/50(eg a slightly low tackle).
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:37 pm
by little_ripper
JumboPaddy wrote:Not too concerned for this week but surely a little bit of leniency on this would be fair. what is he supposed to do? just let him run into an open goal.
er not trip him. Hall had gotten away from him and was always going to kick the goal.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:50 pm
by Windy_Hill
This could be the game that stops Fletch from breaking S Maden's club games played record
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:02 pm
by robrulz5
Mrs Mercuri wrote:The club should challenge this i reckon but it isnt looking good for Fletch this week.... lucky Bradshaw is out for the Swans.
Hurley would have to play permanent back with Pears. Ryder and Hille forward would be enough to support Gumby.
2 tall forwards are certainly enough at the SCG. Gumby can roam up to the wing and Ryder or Hille can have the 50 to themselves.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 6:37 pm
by paddyl90
little_ripper wrote:JumboPaddy wrote:Not too concerned for this week but surely a little bit of leniency on this would be fair. what is he supposed to do? just let him run into an open goal.
er not trip him. Hall had gotten away from him and was always going to kick the goal.
Still not as if he was like "oh well I may as well trip him up, he's prolly gonna kick a goal" he dived to tackle him and got his legs. Good to see he didn't give up. I'm non plussed about a week for it but still think I've seen many tackles like that where it has slipped from the waist and slid to the legs and nothing has been made of it. And also previous record? Unless we go back to 2005 I don't remember him having a bad record...
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 7:03 pm
by BenDoolan
Why wasn't he reported by the field umpire who actually paid a free kick for a trip? If it is a reportable offence, then the umpire should have a "please explain" as to why he didn't make a report.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 7:09 pm
by paddyl90
I was listening to AW call after the incident and they said in years gone by that would've been a report but nowadays it wasn't. Yeh right.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:02 pm
by Royza
Fletch's tribunal record (previous BS hand trip decision in bold):
2009 R22 Melee Early plea $1200 fine
2007 R14 Striking Kane Tenace Early plea 1 match
2006 R6 Tripping (1) Andrew Krakouer Early plea Reprimand 67.5
2004 R14 Tripping Anthony Stevens Lost at tribunal 1 match
2003 R15 Striking Brett Burton Won at tribunal Not guilty
2003 EF Striking Roger Hayden Lost on appeal 2 matches
2002 R3 Melee Accepted fine $3000 fine
2002 R13 Striking Nathan D. Brown Lost at tribunal 2 matches
2002 EF Misconduct Chris Judd Lost on appeal 2 matches
2001 R16 Misconduct Early plea $600 fine
2001 R10 Tripping Craig Bolton Won at tribunal Not guilty
2001 R10 Tripping Craig McRae Lost at tribunal 1 match
2000 GF Striking 2 games
1999 R13 Kneeing 3 games
1995 R2 Striking 1 game
In 1994 a Dawks player was reported for a hand trip.
Steven Dodd got off a hand tripping charge 2 yrs ago when it was considered reckless rather than intentional. Points were reduced from 103.13 and a 1 game penalty, to a reprimand (60 points).
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:12 pm
by Jazz_84
is it just me or does this sound like a ridiculous thing to be suspended for? a free kick sure even a 50m penalty but to miss a game for it..... i say fight it
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:48 pm
by swoodley
Jazz_84 wrote:is it just me or does this sound like a ridiculous thing to be suspended for? a free kick sure even a 50m penalty but to miss a game for it..... i say fight it
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:00 pm
by BenDoolan
I've been applauding the MRP for their "common sense" of late, but how can they come up with a no suspension for Barry Hall who nearly strangled Scott Thompson to death (despite his previous HORRENDOUSLY BAD record) but come up with a one week suspension for a trip by hand for Fletcher?
Piss off.
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 10:42 pm
by robrulz5
I thought Fletch's suspension after the 2000 GF was for attempted striking!
Re: Fletch staring at a suspension
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:01 pm
by bueller
This is a joke.
So the MRP have reviewed footage of the last 500 games (or probably more) and haven't seen an incident where a player has deliberately tripped another player by hand?
I have not known of a player to be reported for such an offence for years. As far as i was concerned, tripping by hand went out with umpires wearing white or since the actual implementation of the magnificent "match review panel"..
Seriously, how do they pluck these incidents out of nowhere like this and penalise a club and or a player just because there was a history of these incidents in the past when they were reportable.
You would see 5 incidents a week the same as Fletchers and not a thing gets done about it.
As Gerald Healy would say - its Chook lotto!