Adam Cooney is free to play Sunday against Fremantle, after the Match Review Panel has ruled he has no case to answer following his match day report.
Cooney was reported on Sunday for making forceful contact with Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett whilst contesting a loose ball, however the Match Review Panel has dismissed the report after reviewing the incident.
A further incident between Liam Picken and Ablett was reviewed by the panel, with the high contact made by Picken to Ablett with an open hand being deemed below that required to constitute a reportable offence.
Meanwhile Clay Smith has been charged with rough conduct for an incident with Luke Russell of the Gold Coast Suns during the second quarter.
Smith can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea.
For full details on the charges laid and the incidents reviewed, please view the Match Review Panel’s statement on each below.
Match Review Panel Statement:
Clay Smith, Western Bulldogs, has been charged with a level two engaging in rough conduct offence (225 demerit points, two-match sanction) for engaging in rough conduct against Luke Russell, Gold Coast, during the second quarter of the round 10 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Suns, played at Metricon Stadium on Sunday May 25, 2014.
In summary, his two-match penalty can be reduced to accept a one-match sanction with an early plea.
Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Gold Coast Suns Football Club, the incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points).
This is a total of five activation points, resulting in a classification of a level two offence, drawing 225 demerit points and a two-match sanction. He has no existing good or bad record. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 168.75 points and a one-match sanction.
The match day report against the Western Bulldogs’ Adam Cooney for making forceful contact from front-on against Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett was assessed. The panel said the ball was loose with Ablett and Cooney coming to the contest at right angles to each other. Ablett and Cooney each bend down with their hands out in front of them in a bid to win possession of the loose ball and contact is made. It was the view of the panel that Cooney was contesting the ball and had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball. No further action was taken.
Contact between the Western Bulldogs’ Liam Picken and the Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett from the third quarter of Sunday’s match was assessed. It was the view of the panel the force used was below that required to constitute a reportable offence with a free kick paid at the time for the high contact made with an open hand. No further action was taken.
Contact between the Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett and the Western Bulldogs’ Liam Picken from the second quarter of Sunday’s match was assessed. After viewing all available footage and with the MRP conducting an investigation into the matter, it was the view of the panel the contact made to the body was below that required to constitute a reportable offence.
VIDEO: Watch the incident between Ablett and Picken for which Ablett has been cleared.
