The panel said that Butler had the ball on the wing and was moving forward into his team’s attacking area. Reimers then came towards Butler and attempted to smother as Butler shaped to kick. Reimers slipped to the ground as Butler changed direction to go around him and it was then that their legs made contact.
Under the revised Tribunal guidelines that define a reportable offence for tripping, it was the panel’s view that force was not sufficient to be a reportable offence, after the free kick was correctly paid. Player Butler was not moving quickly and the contact was not made with a swinging leg motion. No further action was taken.
In further Match Review Panel news, Nathan Lovett-Murray has been charged with a first offence for making negligent contact with an umpire (Matt Leppard) during the second quarter of the Round 7 match between Essendon and West Coast.
Lovett-Murray can accept a $900 sanction with an early plea.
A first offence for making negligent contact with an umpire is a $1200 sanction. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to a $900 sanction.
Contact between West Coast’s Mark Nicoski and Essendon’s Heath Hocking from the fourth quarter of Sunday’s match was also assessed. The force was below that required to constitute a reportable offence. No further action was taken.
