Latest news with #AdamCerra
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Wasting everybody's time': AFL Tribunal ‘farce' laid bare
Criticism towards the AFL for their decision to send Carlton's Adam Cerra's charge for umpire contact to the tribunal amid their mid-season rule change has come thick and fast. The Blues star walked away from Tuesday night's hearing with a $5,500 fine, a mere $125 closer to the Blues' hoped figure of a five grand figure than the AFL's $6,125. The end sanction was $750 less than he could have received had the league got its way. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Speaking on Fox Footy's AFL 360, host and veteran broadcaster Gerard Whateley was pointed in his assessment of the league's handling of a process that required plenty of resources for so such a minuscule outcome. 'I've covered the Tribunal since I was a cub reporter. I've seen high farce, when cases were cooked up in the lifts and the chairman present!' Gerard Whateley began. 'I've seen players blatantly lie and pure themselves. I've heard bio-mechanists invent the most fanciful stories. I have seen character witness, submissions from Prime Ministers to lower penalties... 'Tonight, the AFL has reached new levels of high farce, as they quibbled over $1,250 with a panel of lawyers who will shortly bill for about $30,000.' The AFL's introduction of a Tribunal hearing for any player who is sanctioned for umpire contact four times in 12 months allows the league leeway to argue for a player's suspension. MATT ROWELL — 4 GEORGE HEWETT — 4 JACK MACRAE — 4 ZAK BUTTERS — 3 JORDAN DAWSON — 3 HARLEY REID — 3 WILLEM DREW — 3 HUNTER CLARK — 3 Four umpires have been concussed as a result of umpire contact in the last 12 months, which was undoubtedly a big part of the AFL's reason to crack down on the contact as Whateley explained. 'I don't dismiss the broader principal, which is important... (but) it has gone too far. The AFL is duty-bound to its umpires to address it — the only way to do that is to confront players,' continued Whateley. 'But to go into a Tribunal hearing with two lawyers, Jeff Gleeson — who's one of the country's most esteemed — the two members of the jury and the admin staff ... to quibble over $1,250 to set this principal, I don't think they have quite achieved what they wanted to achieve. 'If you wanted to make a stand, and a stand worth making, you had to leave the spectre of suspension on the table — at least for a while, but that was withdrawn immediately. 'This is just wasting everybody's time. If you want to ramp the fines up, just write it into the guidelines and ramp the fines up.' Cerra will line up for Carlton this Saturday night when the Blues go up against Melbourne.
Mercury
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Mercury
‘Wasting everybody's time': AFL Tribunal ‘farce' laid bare
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Criticism towards the AFL for their decision to send Carlton's Adam Cerra's charge for umpire contact to the tribunal amid their mid-season rule change has come thick and fast. The Blues star walked away from Tuesday night's hearing with a $5,500 fine, a mere $125 closer to the Blues' hoped figure of a five grand figure than the AFL's $6,125. The end sanction was $750 less than he could have received had the league got its way. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Speaking on Fox Footy's AFL 360, host and veteran broadcaster Gerard Whateley was pointed in his assessment of the league's handling of a process that required plenty of resources for so such a minuscule outcome. 'I've covered the Tribunal since I was a cub reporter. I've seen high farce, when cases were cooked up in the lifts and the chairman present!' Gerard Whateley began. 'I've seen players blatantly lie and pure themselves. I've heard bio-mechanists invent the most fanciful stories. I have seen character witness, submissions from Prime Ministers to lower penalties... 'Tonight, the AFL has reached new levels of high farce, as they quibbled over $1,250 with a panel of lawyers who will shortly bill for about $30,000.' Adam Cerra will front the tribunal. The AFL's introduction of a Tribunal hearing for any player who is sanctioned for umpire contact four times in 12 months allows the league leeway to argue for a player's suspension. UMPIRE CONTACT SANCTION (last two years) ADAM CERRA — 4 MATT ROWELL — 4 GEORGE HEWETT — 4 JACK MACRAE — 4 ZAK BUTTERS — 3 JORDAN DAWSON — 3 HARLEY REID — 3 WILLEM DREW — 3 HUNTER CLARK — 3 Four umpires have been concussed as a result of umpire contact in the last 12 months, which was undoubtedly a big part of the AFL's reason to crack down on the contact as Whateley explained. Suns superstar Matt Rowell is on the brink of a suspension. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'I don't dismiss the broader principal, which is important... (but) it has gone too far. The AFL is duty-bound to its umpires to address it — the only way to do that is to confront players,' continued Whateley. 'But to go into a Tribunal hearing with two lawyers, Jeff Gleeson — who's one of the country's most esteemed — the two members of the jury and the admin staff ... to quibble over $1,250 to set this principal, I don't think they have quite achieved what they wanted to achieve. 'If you wanted to make a stand, and a stand worth making, you had to leave the spectre of suspension on the table — at least for a while, but that was withdrawn immediately. 'This is just wasting everybody's time. If you want to ramp the fines up, just write it into the guidelines and ramp the fines up.' Cerra will line up for Carlton this Saturday night when the Blues go up against Melbourne. Originally published as 'Wasting everybody's time': AFL Tribunal 'farce' laid bare
ABC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Adam Cerra fined $5,550 for umpire contact during busy night at AFL Tribunal
Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra has received a $5,550 fine after becoming the first player to front the AFL Tribunal following the league's controversial crackdown on contact with umpires. Under the AFL's measures announced at the start of the month, Cerra was referred directly to the tribunal after a collision with umpire Rob O'Gorman in last week's loss to Brisbane. It was the fourth time he had been booked for the offence within two years, triggering the hearing instead of him being able to have an early guilty plea accepted. The AFL is concerned about the growing prevalence of the collisions, which mostly happen at centre bounces. Cerra, who watched the hearing via video link but did not give any evidence, pleaded guilty. The 25-year-old had been backing away from Lions opponent Lachie Neale late in the second quarter when he made contact with O'Gorman. Carlton argued Cerra should only receive a $5,000 fine, saying he likely would have contested previous charges had the direct referral for umpire contact been in place before this month. However, the AFL pushed for the sanction to be $6,250, meaning the two parties spent more an hour debating over $1,250. The tribunal deliberated for 30 minutes before deciding to meet almost in the middle at $5,550. "To penalise Cerra for the higher number of umpire contacts this year would be unfair," Blues barrister Elizabeth Bateman told the panel. "It would be punishing him for events that he has absolutely no control over." Cerra's Carlton teammate George Hewett and Gold Coast star Matt Rowell are among other players set to face the tribunal should they be cited for umpire contact again this season. In a busy night of disciplinary hearings, Brisbane Lions premiership player Zac Bailey failed to overturn a one-match ban for rough conduct. The in-form Lion challenged his suspension for a high bump on Carlton defender Nick Haynes. Brisbane's lawyer Adrian Anderson tried to have the charge downgraded from medium to low impact, meaning Bailey would be fined instead of missing this Friday night's clash with the Western Bulldogs. Haynes was not injured in the incident and played out the match, but did touch his face to acknowledge there was high contact made. Anderson used seven examples of bumps similar to Bailey's that were graded low. But the tribunal disagreed and decided to accept the match review officer's grading of medium impact. "The bump was high and had the potential to cause injury … the tribunal is not bound by previous decisions," tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said. The last matter for the night was North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri, who failed to overturn his three-match suspension for an incident that resulted in Melbourne midfielder Tom Sparrow being concussed. North attempted to downgrade the charge from careless conduct, which would have resulted in Xerri escaping suspension. Despite giving evidence, with Xerri saying he reached out to Sparrow by text to check if he was OK, the 26-year-old was not successful. Xerri, who is contention for an All-Australian berth, will sit out matches against Sydney, Geelong and St Kilda. AAP
The Advertiser
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Blues onballer falls foul of umpire contact crackdown
Adam Cerra will front the AFL tribunal and could be suspended after the Carlton midfielder became the first player to trigger the new measures against umpire contact. And Brisbane forward Zac Bailey has been offered a one-game ban for the high bump that left Blues defender Nick Haynes holding his face in Thursday night's win to the Lions at the MCG. Before the harsher penalty announced on July 1, Cerra could have accepted a fine for his second-quarter incident. But because it is his fourth umpire contact penalty in a two-year period, Cerra was referred directly to the tribunal. Under the new measures, the AFL could ask the tribunal to suspend Cerra if he is found guilty or ask for a stiffer financial penalty. The crackdown also means Carlton face a separate $5000 fine if Cerra is found guilty. The AFL Players' Association is unhappy with the new penalties, saying it wasn't consulted before the league announced the changes. Gold Coast's Brownlow Medal hopeful Matt Rowell is another player at risk of being sent to the tribunal and coach Damien Hardwick defended him, saying accidents are going to happen. Cerra's tribunal referral is another problem that Carlton do not need in the midst of a disastrous season. Bailey's suspension is a blow to the defending premiers ahead of next week's big home game against the Western Bulldogs, unless the second-placed Lions successfully take the charge to the tribunal. He caught Haynes high with a bump in the forward pocket during the third term of Friday night's win. The contact was graded careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, triggering the one-game suspension. Adam Cerra will front the AFL tribunal and could be suspended after the Carlton midfielder became the first player to trigger the new measures against umpire contact. And Brisbane forward Zac Bailey has been offered a one-game ban for the high bump that left Blues defender Nick Haynes holding his face in Thursday night's win to the Lions at the MCG. Before the harsher penalty announced on July 1, Cerra could have accepted a fine for his second-quarter incident. But because it is his fourth umpire contact penalty in a two-year period, Cerra was referred directly to the tribunal. Under the new measures, the AFL could ask the tribunal to suspend Cerra if he is found guilty or ask for a stiffer financial penalty. The crackdown also means Carlton face a separate $5000 fine if Cerra is found guilty. The AFL Players' Association is unhappy with the new penalties, saying it wasn't consulted before the league announced the changes. Gold Coast's Brownlow Medal hopeful Matt Rowell is another player at risk of being sent to the tribunal and coach Damien Hardwick defended him, saying accidents are going to happen. Cerra's tribunal referral is another problem that Carlton do not need in the midst of a disastrous season. Bailey's suspension is a blow to the defending premiers ahead of next week's big home game against the Western Bulldogs, unless the second-placed Lions successfully take the charge to the tribunal. He caught Haynes high with a bump in the forward pocket during the third term of Friday night's win. The contact was graded careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, triggering the one-game suspension. Adam Cerra will front the AFL tribunal and could be suspended after the Carlton midfielder became the first player to trigger the new measures against umpire contact. And Brisbane forward Zac Bailey has been offered a one-game ban for the high bump that left Blues defender Nick Haynes holding his face in Thursday night's win to the Lions at the MCG. Before the harsher penalty announced on July 1, Cerra could have accepted a fine for his second-quarter incident. But because it is his fourth umpire contact penalty in a two-year period, Cerra was referred directly to the tribunal. Under the new measures, the AFL could ask the tribunal to suspend Cerra if he is found guilty or ask for a stiffer financial penalty. The crackdown also means Carlton face a separate $5000 fine if Cerra is found guilty. The AFL Players' Association is unhappy with the new penalties, saying it wasn't consulted before the league announced the changes. Gold Coast's Brownlow Medal hopeful Matt Rowell is another player at risk of being sent to the tribunal and coach Damien Hardwick defended him, saying accidents are going to happen. Cerra's tribunal referral is another problem that Carlton do not need in the midst of a disastrous season. Bailey's suspension is a blow to the defending premiers ahead of next week's big home game against the Western Bulldogs, unless the second-placed Lions successfully take the charge to the tribunal. He caught Haynes high with a bump in the forward pocket during the third term of Friday night's win. The contact was graded careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, triggering the one-game suspension.
ABC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
AFL live updates: Adam Cerra sent directly to tribunal over umpire clash, Gold Coast vs Collingwood latest
Carlton's nightmare season could go from bad to worse with midfielder Adam Cerra in danger of being suspended under the AFL's new measures over umpire contact. Round 18 continues tonight as Gold Coast hosts the ladder-leaders Collingwood at Carrara Stadium at 7.40pm (AEST) in what is arguably the most-anticipated match in the club's 15-year existence. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
