The suspension of Houli by the AFL Tribunal is a little worrying in some respects - and so was his defence.
Bachar Houli's suspension halved thanks to Malcolm Turnbull and Waleed Aly
It seems a bit rich that Houli, as reported, received a lesser penalty by 2 weeks based on references related to his off-field character. This should not play any part in the penalty. The only consideration should be how he has conducted himself on the field over his career, which has essentially been in the spirit of the game. I would have been happy for him to receive a 3 week suspension (4 week grading knocked down to 3 based on his on-field record).
It seems bizarre that he was graded 'intentional', but not to the head, when Lambs arm was alongside Houli and the fact that he turned his head before swinging with force.
Sure, he might not have meant to knock him out, but he did. It was an act of frustration and possibly mindlessness, but it was not a football act intended to simply stop Lamb from holding on. His action was designed to punish him, whether consciously or not, and this should have been the starting point.
Is the precedent at the tribunal such that you can present famous individuals as character references to receive a lesser penalty?
It is a ridiculous outcome.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bookmarks