AFL Match Review: GWS Toby Bedford case reaches conclusion

Kieran Francis

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Bryn Wakefield

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AFL Match Review: GWS Toby Bedford case reaches conclusion image

GWS small forward Toby Bedford has endured a lengthy  judiciary campaign, after making an unsuccessful appeal at the AFL Tribunal earlier in the week. 

The Giants aimed to downgrade Bedford's one-week suspension at an AFL Appeal Board hearing on Thursday night.

The Sporting News has all the latest AFL Match Review and tribunal news.

MORE: AFL Finals Fixture 2023: Schedule, dates, post-season matches

GWS overturn Toby Bedford's Ban at AFL Appeal Board

The Giants have successfully overturned Bedford's one-match suspension at the AFL Appeal Board, meaning the forward is available to play against St Kilda on Saturday. 

Ben Ihle, representing GWS and Bedford at the appeal board, questioned the Tribunal's assessment of the impact made on Carlton's Zac Fisher. 

“It is impossible based on the video to determine the level of force," he said. 

“The reasons given by the Tribunal demonstrate it was unreasonable in its approach & conclusion on forcefulness. The decision & reasons showed no logical path of reasoning, nor any evidence for it to find in a way that it did. That decision should be reversed.”

MRO gives verdict on Toby Bedford hit

In the final match of the home and away season, Toby Bedford was issued with a one-match ban for rough conduct. 

The AFL Match Review deemed his contact on Zac Fisher in the third quarter against Carlton to be careless conduct, medium impact and high contact. 

An AFL Tribunal hearing reaffirmed the MRO verdict, before Bedford's suspension was overturned at the third level of league judiciary.

The Giants did not accept the Tribunal's verdict, and took the case one step further to the AFL Appeal Board. 

It is the second time the Giants forward has been suspended this season, with the 23-year-old hit with a one-match ban for a dump tackle on Sydney's Oliver Florent. 

Jacob Weitering fined for eye gouge on Toby Greene

Carlton defender Jacob Weitering has escaped with a fine despite the AFL Match Review determining that he made unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the eye region of GWS skipper Toby Greene. 

Weitering made contact with the eye region of Greene's face during the second quarter of the Carlton-GWS contest at Marvel Stadium. 

As Greene was wrestling with Mitch McGovern on the ground, Weitering attempted to pull the GWS skipper off his team-mate but appeared to make contact with the eye region before grabbing the shoulder area.

Any suspension for Weitering would have seen him miss Carlton's elimination final against Sydney next week.

After the match, Greene, who was suspended for “unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the eye region” of Brisbane’s Lachie Neale in 2019, suggested Weitering's actions could be looked at.

"He might be in trouble. I think I got in trouble for that," Greene said with a smile post-match on Fox Footy.

However, Weitering can get away with paying a $2,000 fine with an early guilty plea after the incident was deemed to be careless contact, low impact and high contact. 

No other suspensions but fines galore

No players were banned across the weekend other than Bedford, although five faced fines for various indiscretions.

  • James Blanck (Hawthorn): $1,500 fine - Engaging in a melee/wrestle (second offence)
  • Jy Simpkin (North Melbourne): $3,000 fine - Rough conduct (first offence) on Noah Anderson (Gold Coast) - graded intentional, low impact, body contact
  • Matt Rowell (Gold Coast): $1,000 fine - Engaging in a melee/wrestle (first offence)
  • Kayne Turner (North Melbourne): $1,000 fine - Engaging in a melee/wrestle (first offence)
  • Charlie Ballard (Gold Coast): $5,000 fine - Rough conduct (third offence) on Nick Larkey (North Melbourne) - graded intentional, low impact, body contact

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.

Bryn Wakefield

Bryn Wakefield Photo
Bryn is a content producer for Sporting News, covering AFL and Australian Rules Football. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, he has thrived in the passionate sporting city, desperate for ultimate success despite its underdog tag.