The Gold Coast SUNS will accept the AFL Match Review Panel’s charge that will see the Campbell Brown miss the first six matches of the 2013 season.
Brown was charged with a Level Four bumping/making forceful contact from front-on offence against Aiden Riley during the second quarter of the Round 23 match between the Gold Coast SUNS and the Adelaide Crows.
Because of Brown’s existing poor record, his five-match sanction is increased to six matches, even with the early plea.
Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Adelaide Crows Football Club, the incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), high impact (three points) and high contact (two points).
This is a total of seven activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Four offence, drawing 550 demerit points and a five-match sanction. Brown’s existing bad record of five matches suspended within the last three years, increase the penalty to 825 demerit points and an eight-match sanction. His early plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to 618.75 points and a sixe-match sanction.
General Manager Football Operations, Marcus Ashcroft said the SUNS explored the avenues available to challenge, however decided to accept the penalty.
We had a close look at it over the last 24 hours, and while we believe there was a minor chance of reducing the penalty if we took it to the tribunal, an unsuccessful challenge would have seen Campbell miss 8 matches, a risk we weren’t willing to take, Ashcroft said. Meanwhile, Trent McKenzie has also accepted a $900 sanction for making negligent contact with an umpire.