AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) advises the independent Tribunal sat tonight, Wednesday 3 November, to hear three charges from the senior grades of Round 5 of the 2021/22 TIO NTFL.
Men's Premier League
Jayden Shea of Palmerston Magpies Football Club was set to contest the charge of striking against #20 of St Mary’s in the first quarter of the NTFL Men’s Premier League match between St Mary’s and Palmerston Magpies at TIO Oval 2 on Sunday 31 October 2021.
Due to the unavailability of Shae, the independent Tribunal granted grace and deferred the hearing to next week.
Ryan Smith of St Mary’s Football Club appeared before the independent Tribunal to answer the charge of striking #29 of Palmerston Magpies in the first quarter of the NTFL Men’s Premier League match between St Mary’s and Palmerston Magpies at TIO Oval 2 on Sunday 31 October 2021.
Upon review of the evidence, the independent Tribunal asserted that the umpire's grading of the charge as intentional conduct, medium impact and high contact was correct, and subsequently, Smith pleaded guilty at first chance.
The Tribunal then issued Smith with a two-match suspension. The penalty is in-line with the State and Territory Tribunal Guidelines' classifiable offences matrix.
Men’s Division 1
Nathan Russel of Nightcliff Football Club appeared before the independent Tribunal to answer to the charge of serious misconduct in the third quarter of the TIO NTFL Men’s Division 1 match between PINT and Nightcliff at TIO Stadium on Saturday 30 October 2021.
Upon reviewing the evidence placed before them, the AFLNT Reporting Officer amended the charge from serious misconduct to using insulting language towards another person that could be heard 10-50 metres away.
The Tribunal accepted the amended classification to which Russel pleaded guilty at first chance.
In summary, the Tribunal sanctioned Russel with a reprimand.
Appeals Process
Offending clubs (alleged) and/or the Controlling Body have until 5pm tomorrow to lodge an appeal in writing to the AFLNT Football Operations team. The grounds for appeal under the 2021 State and Territory Tribunal Guidelines are as follows:
4.3 Grounds for Appeal
Except where otherwise determined by the Controlling Body, a Person found guilty of a Reportable Offence by the Tribunal, or the Controlling Body may only appeal to the Appeal Board in respect of a decision made by the Tribunal under these Guidelines on one or more of the following grounds:
(a) that there was an error of law;
(b) that the decision was so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it;
(c) the classification of the level of the offence was manifestly excessive or inadequate; or
(d) that the sanction imposed was manifestly excessive or inadequate.
