Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes midfielder Trent Cohalan has been suspended for five games by the AFL Riverina independent tribunal.
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Cohalan was found guilty of rough conduct on Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong schoolboy Matt Knagge for a bump in last Saturday’s opening round that left him with a broken jaw.
The tribunal ruled that Cohalan’s actions were careless, the impact severe and that the contact ticked the ‘all’ box.
Cohalan had pleaded not guilty, with he and advocate Nathon Irvin presenting a case that alleged the bump was fair and made contact to Knagge’s shoulder.
MCUE indicated they will appeal the five-game suspension and Cohalan said he was disappointed with the tribunal’s verdict.
“I think we will be appealing it,” Cohalan said.
“Very disappointed, it felt they were just hung up on the injury to be honest.”
MCUE argued that the bump was shoulder on shoulder with no contact to the face and produced photo evidence to support their case.
Irvin said it was a ‘fair bump and relative care was taken’ and asked the tribunal what else Cohalan was supposed to do in the situation.
They also referred to the AFL’s ruling this week on Hawthorn player Ryan Burton’s bump.
However the umpires and GGGM argued that the contact was made to Knagge’s jaw.
The game was videoed by AFL Riverina and the footage was made available at the hearing.