MRP / Trib. Tribunal Thread - rules and offences discombobulation

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What exactly was he pleading guilty to? If there was a genuine belief that he made no high contact he should of plead not guilty because the charge was specifically for high contact.

It was an outstandingly dumb defence.

The tribunal guidelines make abundantly, inescapably clear that an offence can be graded as high contact if the victim sustains any high contact - direct or indirect - e.g., if their head hits the fence or the ground. This is not limited to tackles. This applies to bumps. Pretending otherwise would be stupid.

We accepted that the offence is high contact because Rankine's head hit the ground. We can contest the AFL's claim that Houston made contact with the top of Rankine's shoulder and Rankine's neck. I presume we view those as aggravating factors. If the bump is forceful but completely fair, i.e., Houston makes no direct high contact, then I think that's a mitigating factor worth pursuing.
 

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The tribunal guidelines make abundantly, inescapably clear that an offence can be graded as high contact if the victim sustains any high contact - direct or indirect - e.g., if their head hits the fence or the ground. This is not limited to tackles. This applies to bumps. Pretending otherwise would be stupid.

We accepted that the offence is high contact because Rankine's head hit the ground. We can contest the AFL's claim that Houston made contact with the top of Rankine's shoulder and Rankine's neck. I presume we view those as aggravating factors. If the bump is forceful but completely fair, i.e., Houston makes no direct high contact, then I think that's a mitigating factor worth pursuing.
Only if the contact with the ground was reasonably foreseeable.

Which it was not. It is not reasonably foreseeable that a bump, any bump, will result in a concussion as a result of a players head hitting the ground.

If it was deemed to be reasonably foreseeable then effectively any bump can result in a concussion, which means that the bump is illegal.

The bump is not illegal. Ergo, he should of got off.

Literally the Razor Ray Chamberlain defence.
 
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MRP / Trib. Tribunal Thread - rules and offences discombobulation

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