Overview
- The AFL Tribunal upheld Paul Curtis’s three-match suspension after a Tuesday hearing, meaning he will miss North Melbourne’s games against Richmond, Essendon and Port Adelaide.
- The Match Review Officer had graded the first-quarter tackle as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact and the tribunal cited the medical report confirming Davis suffered a concussion when assessing impact.
- Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson KC and the panel said video showed Curtis came in from the side, wrapped Davis’s arms, then dropped and rotated him into the ground, and they deliberated about 50 minutes before returning the verdict.
- North Melbourne argued Davis’s momentum and partial arm movement reduced impact and that the tackle should be graded low, while Curtis did not give evidence and the club will decide whether to appeal.
- Separately, Gold Coast has lodged a written challenge to Daniel Rioli’s umpire-contact fine and the club faces a possible sanction of up to $50,000 if that fine is upheld and it reaches the AFL’s five-offence threshold after a warning to clubs following round 10.