Key Lake Albert defender Kane Baumer will miss the beginning of the 2018 Pascoe Cup season after receiving a straight red card during Sunday’s grand final.
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Football Wagga today confirmed the card would only result in a one-game suspension.
The Sharks defender was responsible for a poor challenge which provided Henwood coach Matt Menser with the extra-time free kick he used to send the game to penalties and seal the premiership.
Lake coach Michael Babic said he was not convinced Baumer deserved to be sent off.
“I didn’t think it was a goal scoring chance when the tackle was made,” he said.
“I thought play was moving away from goal at the time, so to get a straight red was probably a bit harsh.
“But that’s the referee's decision and we’ll roll with it.
“Having said that, it’s normally a two-game ban for a straight red, so I’m pretty happy with one game.”
Baumer was strong for Lake Albert in defence all season, a key component in Lake maintaining the third-stingiest defence in the competition.
Meanwhile, Tolland warhorse Katrina Crock’s aggressive takedown of Junee’s Keely Hancock in the Leonard Cup grand final, along with the latter’s ensuing retaliation, has resulted in significant suspensions for both players.
Hancock will miss the first two games of next season for her role in the incident, while Football Wagga is still working to establish the length of Crock’s ban.
Hancock was visibly furious following Crock’s challenge six minutes into the second-half, and made her displeasure known with a heated shove.
It resulted in both players receiving simultaneous red cards, as both teams were forced to carry on with ten players.
However the scuffle did seem to inject life into a Junee side previously struggling to compete with Tolland’s fitness.