Ballantyne Bump

[silverscope]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/81957/default.aspx

Ballantyne’s incident was assessed as reckless conduct, low impact and high contact, earning him five activation points and a level two offence. The incident was given a two-match sanction that can be reduced to 187.50 demerit points and a one-match sanction with an early plea.

More: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/81957/default.aspx


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I'm interested to get an outsiders view, not Freo or WB, on the bump.

What are your thoughts?


IMO: Was bumped on the bicep/side as both players turned at the last second to avoid contact.
Was not worth 2 weeks. I hope he either contests and gets of or gets the full 2 weeks. Because 87 points hanging over your head for next year is not good.

 

[silverscope]

Also watching that its not Ballantyne's shoulder that hits, its his ribs/side that makes contact with the WB Player.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

He was a bit stiff, who wears number 14 for Freo? Whoever it is ran through with an elbow cocked a split second before. If that elbow connected then Ballantyne would never have made contact.

Bad for my Supercoach and Dreamteam sides.

 

[silverscope]

He was a bit stiff, who wears number 14 for Freo? Whoever it is ran through with an elbow cocked a split second before. If that elbow connected then Ballantyne would never have made contact.

Bad for my Supercoach and Dreamteam sides.

14 is Antoni Grover and if he had of made that shepheard then Ballantyne probably would have got the ball and yes not made the bump

 

[TassieSaint]

it's tough to say if he got him in the head or not? how did Picken pull up after it? he was clutching his head but might have been milking it. judging by high contact ruling I'm guessing the MRP thought it was to the head.

if he did only get him in the shoulder then yeah should be body contact and he'd get off.

 

[W3llsy]

Ridiculous report.

To me it seemed side on side. Picken holds his forehead after impact, and if that was where he really got hit, he would be dead.

Video is inconclusive unfortunately, but how there is enough evidence to pin it on him I really don't know. Still, since when does evidence matter at the MRP / Tribunal ?!?!

 

[W3llsy]

Picken took the kick from memory, TassieSaint - no lasting effect from the hit

 

[silverscope]

it's tough to say if he got him in the head or not? how did Picken pull up after it? he was clutching his head but might have been milking it. judging by high contact ruling I'm guessing the MRP thought it was to the head.

if he did only get him in the shoulder then yeah should be body contact and he'd get off.

Well apparently they were treating his neck area etc. but as another Freo poster mentioned on our Board that could have easily been related back to Whiplash as he did throw his head back fairly quickly and whether that was from the contact or a dive... hard to tell.

 

[W3llsy]

I would much rather, as they should with the cricket, that they leave the reporting to the MRP alone. They would have to come up with sufficient evidence to show he did something illegal.

IMO, if he didnt get reported, the MRP wouldn't have picked up on it. It was side on, not your classic 'over the ball' contest, and within very close proximity to the ball.

There is too much onus placed on clubs defending their players when they are cited for what are borderline calls. The onus needs to be on the AFL to prove the player has acted illegally.

 

[Tortilla]

Ridiculous report.


Video is inconclusive unfortunately, but how there is enough evidence to pin it on him I really don't know. Still, since when does evidence matter at the MRP / Tribunal ?!?!

The umpired reported him on the day. He would have given evidence to the MRP.

 

[Cynic]

He's dead in the water unless Picken comes out and says he was playing for it.

 

[bulldogsman]

I didn't think there was much wrong with that, Picken was okay afterwards. A reprimand would be good enough punishment.
​

 

[Dean3]

Didn't look good to me on first viewing. The slow-mo replay was a little better for Ballantyne but I reckon he deserves the week for an early plea. You've got to protect the player with his head over the footy.

 

[mr_cellotape]

Was going for the ball. No contact with the head. 0 weeks.

 

[patsmith]

Crap report, should be thrown out. In saying that, I think Ballantyne was lucky that Picken turned his body, as Balla didn't really do anything to avoid the impact.

 

[Power King]

Is there another angle? From that angle it looks as though he hit his shoulder which should be ok, but the player went down in pain clutching his head...

actually, watching it again and again, that looks to be ok... bulldogs player might have been playing for it coz watching him, as soon as he gets the free he gets straight back up

heard he got 2 weeks though........

 

[vandy]

Absolute CRAP

There was a similar incident in the West Coast V Essendon game.

Essendon player was low and got crunched High, Recieved the Free Kick,yet
there was no report.


vandy

 

[silverscope]

If you read the article it explains why he got the two weeks. So in the end the decision was never in doubt and probably should not have challenged.

He has 50 Hang over points instead of 87.5 now.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/82052/default.aspx

However, the AFL rule introduced in 2007 to protect players with their heads over the ball doesn't permit forceful contact front on, regardless of whether it is high

So didn't matter in the end if it was arm or head. His fate was decided.

Officiating umpire Jacob Mollison told the tribunal he had a clear view of the incident and Ballantyne had made high contact with Picken while the Bulldog's head was over the ball. He said he deemed the impact to be medium to high.

This testamony (SP?) would not have helped either.

More:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/82052/default.aspx

 

[patsmith]

Thanks silverscope, didn't realise that the contact doesn't have to be high. I guess the AFL is trying to protect the man over the ball (which is obviously fair enough), but it does result in reports such as this.

Perhaps you guys could borrow our lawyers next time.

 

[flamethrower]

Ballantyne should be forced to visit the spinal unit at the Austin Hospital. He is very lucky that he didn't hit Picken on the crown of his head, or else we may have had another quadraplegia in VFL/AFL football.

When are footballers going to realise how dangerous front on contact can be if the player has his head over the ball.

 

[vandy]

Bulldogs Players are well known for their Free Kick antics.

He was not struck in the Head, otherwise he wouldn't have got up and
taken the free kick as he did.


vandy