North Melbourne defender Charlie Comben will breathe a sigh of relief after escaping any suspension for a contentious incident involving West Coast’s Harley Reid during their recent AFL clash. The moment, which occurred at the three-quarter time siren, saw Comben make contact with Reid’s neck.
The incident unfolded as the siren sounded, marking the end of the third quarter. West Coast’s Harley Reid, amidst celebrating a goal scored by his teammate Elliot Yeo, abruptly changed direction and headed towards Comben. Comben, who was stationary and standing the mark, raised his arms to a body height in what was deemed a defensive manoeuvre to shield himself from the approaching Reid. As Reid closed in at speed and lowered his body, high contact was made.
Match Review Officer’s Decision
Despite the contact, the AFL’s Match Review Officer (MRO) assessed the situation and determined that Comben’s actions did not constitute a reportable striking offence. The MRO’s explanation detailed the sequence of events:
- The Situation: Charlie Comben was positioned at the mark as Elliot Yeo took a shot at goal.
- The Goal: Yeo successfully kicked the goal just after the three-quarter time siren.
- Reid’s Reaction: Harley Reid initially moved towards Yeo to celebrate but then rapidly altered his path, turning towards Comben.
- Comben’s Response: Comben remained stationary and raised his arms to a protective position at chest height.
- The Contact: Reid, upon closing in, lowered his body, resulting in high contact with Comben’s raised arms.
- MRO’s Finding: The MRO concluded that Comben’s actions were a self-protective measure and did not meet the criteria for a strike. Consequently, no further action was taken against the North Melbourne defender.
Other VFL Incidents and Suspensions
While Comben’s case concluded without penalty, other players in the state-league competitions faced scrutiny and suspensions.
Peter Ladhams (Sydney): The Sydney ruckman has been handed a two-match ban, with one match suspended due to an early guilty plea. This penalty stems from a rough conduct charge involving Hawthorn’s Calsher Dear during a VFL match last week. The MRO classified the incident as careless conduct with medium impact and high contact.
Ben Hobbs (Former Essendon): Former Essendon midfielder Ben Hobbs has also received a significant suspension for a striking incident in the state-league competition. Hobbs was handed a three-match ban for his strike on Sandringham Zebras’ Mitchell Ryan during the third term of a recent game. The MRO graded this incident as intentional conduct with medium impact and high contact. Hobbs has the option to accept a two-game suspension.
These rulings highlight the MRO’s ongoing efforts to maintain player safety and uphold the integrity of the game across all levels of competition, from the elite AFL to the supporting VFL competitions. The distinction between a reportable offence and a defensive manoeuvre remains a key consideration in these assessments.
