AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) wishes to advise the appeal against the Tribunal’s decision in the matter of Cameron Stokes from the Darwin Buffaloes Football Club has been upheld.
The independent Appeals Board found there was an error in the Tribunal’s decision to issue Stokes with a three-match sanction at the original hearing on Wednesday 19 December 2018 and reduced his sentence to two matches.
At the time of the Tribunal hearing, Stokes contested the charge of headbutting in the second quarter of the TIO NTFL Men’s Premier League match between Darwin Buffaloes and Southern Districts at TIO Stadium on Saturday 15 December 2018.
On reviewing the available footage and hearing the evidence provided, the Tribunal found Stokes guilty of intentional conduct, low impact and high contact and issued him with a three-match suspension.
The Darwin Buffaloes Football Club lodged an application with the Appeals Board arguing that the sanction imposed was manifestly excessive.
After the Appeals Board panel heard the submissions by both the Darwin Buffaloes and AFLNT Reporting Officer this evening, the panel concluded that exceptional and compelling circumstances for an upward departure from the base penalty (which is two matches) was not warranted.
The panel also found there were not compelling and exceptional circumstances for a reduction from the base penalty either.
They then opted to give Stokes the penalty that is set forward in the guidelines, which is two matches, meaning Stokes has one remaining match to serve.
