Jesse Hogan cleared, Toby Greene banned at AFL Tribunal

Tom Naghten

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Jesse Hogan cleared, Toby Greene banned at AFL Tribunal image

Greater Western Sydney forward Jesse Hogan has successfully overturned his one-match ban for striking at the AFL Tribunal. 

Meanwhile, GWS captain Toby Greene has had his one-game suspension upheld.

Hogan, who currently leads the Coleman Medal race, was initially cited over an incident in which he clipped Lewis Young with a left hand to the chin as the two tussled off the ball.

However, Hogan will now be free to play in the Anzac Day clash against Brisbane after the charge was thrown out. 

MORE: Follow the Coleman Medal race with daily updates | Every fixture and result for the 2024 AFL season | Every AFL team’s injury list and Supercoach implications

Jesse Hogan escapes suspension at the AFL Tribunal

The incident involving Hogan was deemed as intentional conduct with low impact to the head by the MRO. Yet GWS argued that the contact from Hogan was negligible.

"In light of the ruling delivered in this matter, in order for the charge of striking to be sustained, it is necessary that there is a finding of more than negligible impact and we find there was not," Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said.

Toby Greene ban upheld at AFL Tribunal

GWS entered into the hearing attempting to also free their captain Toby Greene after he was cited during their 19-point loss to Carlton. 

Greene collected Jordan Boyd as the Blues player attempted to take a mark while moving back with the flight of the ball.

The incident was graded as careless conduct with medium impact to the head, seeing Greene rubbed out for a week.

"The whole time I thought I was a good chance to take the mark ... at the last moment I realised he was going to touch the ball before me, then I braced for impact," Greene said at the Tribunal.

"If I go in with an open chest, I open myself up to impact. Hence turning my body to protect myself, knowing he was going to get there before me.

"If I go for the mark with my hands out and he tucks in because he's going to take the mark, I'm highly exposed and vulnerable."

However, Greene's one-match ban was upheld.

Meanwhile, two other players were cited out of the game, with George Hewett and Tom Green both copping fines worth $1,250 with an early guilty plea for careless contact with an umpire. 

From Saturday's other games, West Coast key defender Tom Barrass was suspended for one match following his tackle on Freo's Michael Walters.

Although the resurgent Eagles, who face a trip to the Gold Coast in round seven, will fight the charge on Wednesday. 

Elsewhere, two players are set to be significantly lighter in the pocket following Geelong's win over Brisbane, after Brandon Parfitt and Jeremy Cameron were cited.

Parfitt will be fined $3,750 if he takes the early guilty plea for a strike on Josh Dunkley, while Cameron will cop a $2,500 whack for a trip on Hugh McCluggage.

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.