Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra has had his one match ban overturned, with the tribunal deeming his contact to be careless rather than intentional and freeing him to play against the Crows on Saturday.
Cerra was initially given a one-match ban for striking Jack Bowes in the Blues’ victory over Geelong on Sunday which the match review officer graded as intentional, low-impact and high contact.
Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said, although Cerra’s contact characterised a strike and “forceful blow that knocked Bowes off his feet” it was not intentional.
“It is clear from the video as a matter of fact Cerra did not intend to strike Bowes, but intended to push him,” said Gleeson.
“Bowes moved lower immediately prior to the moment of contact … the movement of Bowes at the last second supports the view that Cerra intended to push him in the chest or shoulder.”
Cerra said he “brushed across” Bowes’ jaw region by accident when he was attempting to hold space in the stoppage and prevent Geelong players from running past.
“Bowes comes to me and goes to engage body contact though a push and my reaction to that was to push him back to protect my space as we do one hundred times a game,” said Cerra.
“With the dropping of the height a little bit I’ve accidentally got him high with the right hand.”
The AFL’s lawyer Amara Hughes argued the strike was intentional because Cerra was aware of Bowes’ positioning at the stoppage. Bowes was left with a blood nose and bruising, according to a medical report by Geelong’s club doctor.
But Carlton’s lawyer Chris Townshend KC said players compete in situations like this happen about three hundred times a game. He argued the two-handed push was a “typical grapple” that slipped high because Bowes was crouched low.
“It’s a push gone wrong … rather than something … you could describe as a strike.”
Cerra, who has played a significant role in Carlton’s early season turnaround, will be issued a fine and is available to play against Adelaide on Saturday.
This decision continues Carlton’s success appealing suspension over the past four seasons, including the notable Patrick Cripps case in 2022 which allowed him to win that year’s Brownlow Medal.
Nic Newman, Harry McKay, Jordan Boyd and Cerra himself have all had suspensions overturned.
