AFL Tribunal: Nat Fyfe and Fremantle Dockers fail in appeal of one-match ban

Tom Naghten

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AFL Tribunal: Nat Fyfe and Fremantle Dockers fail in appeal of one-match ban image

Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe has been suspended for one match after the AFL Tribunal upheld his suspension for striking.

Fyfe will now miss Sunday's clash with Adelaide at Optus Stadium as well as be ineligible to win the Brownlow Medal.

Match review officer Michael Christian announced on Monday that Fyfe would be hit with a one-game suspension for a strike on Collingwood's Levi Greenwood.

The superstar midfielder collected Greenwood in the head with what looked to be an elbow in the third quarter of their clash at the MCG on Sunday.

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The Dockers decided to challenge the one-match ban handed to Fyfe, risking a $10,000 fine if unsuccessful.

After a red-hot start to the season, the 26-year-old was the favourite to add a second Brownlow Medal to the one he claimed in 2015.

Any length suspension would have ruled Fyfe ineligible for the award.

Appearing via video link from Perth on Tuesday evening, Fyfe and his representative, Nick Tweedie QC, argued that the Dockers captain's actions were careless and not intentional.

Fyfe said he raised his arm to protect himself from Greenwood's fist which had just punched the ball.

Tweedie also pointed out that Greenwood wasn't concussed and didn't leave the ground for treatment.


AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson QC argued that Fyfe's jump and raised forearm constituted an intentional strike.

It took the three-man panel of David Neitz, Wayne Henwood and Jason Johnson took around 20 minutes to reach their decision, declaring the strike intentional and seeing Fyfe out of the running for 'Charlie'.



North Melbourne's Jy Simpkin also appealed his two-match suspension for rough conduct on Brisbane's Allen Christensen.

The panel deemed the young Roo had no other choice but to make contact and was bracing rather than bumping, finding him not guilty and overturning the suspension.

Simpkin will be free to play Geelong this weekend.

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.