SCARLETT COPS 3 WEEK BAN, KELLY A REPRIMAND, PODSIADLY CLEARED
Ben Jensen 3 April 2012

MATTHEW SCARLETT has accepted a 3 match suspension offered up by the AFL's Match Review Panel while James Kelly escapes a ban. Along with James Podsiadly who was cleared by the MRP, Scarlett and Kelly were reported for striking during Saturday night's loss to the Dockers at Subiaco. Scarlett struck Fremantle serial pest Hayden Ballantyne with a left hook in the third quarter, who immediately hit the deck and kicked what many are calling the 'winning goal', a bonus gimme at the goalsquare.

Under the complicated but proven fair points system Scarlett started off with 325 points and a 3 week suspension; but before the 25% early payment or early plea discount was applied to bring it under 300, due to his poor record he had a 20% loading applied (sounds like the health insurance deal doesn't it?), and adding on a previous ~55 points from last season, he has around 445 points and a compulsory 4 week holiday. Fortunately for Scarlett and the Cats the 25% discount then kicked in, reducing his penalty points to 333.5 - a 3 week ban and 33.5 carryover points.

Kelly escaped with 93.75 points for striking Docker Tendai Mzungu, thanks to a 25% discount for a good record in recent seasons, but will almost certainly be suspended if found guilty of another offence in the next season or two. Podsiadly appeared to strike Freo's Nick Suban but in the words of the MRP, 'the force used was below that required to constitute a reportable offence' and it's case closed, the report was thrown out.

AFL MRP OFFICIAL STATEMENTS

Matthew Scarlett, Geelong Cats, has been charged with a Level Four striking offence against Hayden Ballantyne, Fremantle, during the third quarter of the Round One match between the Geelong Cats and Fremantle, played at Patersons Stadium on Saturday March 31, 2012.

In summary, due to his previous poor record, his three-match sanction must remain at three matches, even with an early plea.

Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Fremantle Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), medium impact (two points) and high contact (two points). This is a total if seven activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Four offence, drawing 325 demerit points and a three-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of two matches suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 20 per cent to 390 demerit points, and he also has 54.69 demerit points carried over from within the last 12 months, increasing the penalty to 444.69 points and a four-match sanction. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 333.52 points and a three-match sanction.

James Kelly, Geelong Cats, has been charged with a Level Two striking offence against Tendai Mzungu, Fremantle, during the first quarter of the Round One match between the Geelong Cats and Fremantle, played at Patersons Stadium on Saturday March 31, 2012.

In summary, he can accept a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record with an early plea.

Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Fremantle Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point). This is a total of five activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Two offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-match sanction. He has no existing good or bad record. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record.

The match day report against the Geelong Cats’ James Podsiadly for striking Fremantle’s Nick Suban was assessed. Player Podsiadly had been involved in a brief scuffle with Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands and the pair had then parted. As the players moved apart, player Suban came towards Podsiadly and the Geelong player fended him off. After viewing all available footage, receiving a medical report and speaking to the umpire who laid the report, it was the view of the panel that the force used was below that required to constitute a reportable offence. No further action was taken.

Hayden Ballantyne, Fremantle, has been charged with a Level Three striking offence against Paul Chapman, Geelong Cats, during the first quarter of the Round One match between Fremantle and the Geelong Cats, played at Patersons Stadium on Saturday March 31, 2012.

In summary, due to his previous poor record, his two-match sanction must remain at two matches, even with an early plea.

Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Geelong Cats Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), medium impact (two points) and body contact (one point). This is a total of six activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Three offence, drawing 225 demerit points and a two-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of two matches suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 20 per cent to 270 demerit points and a two-match sanction. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent 202.50 points and a two-match sanction.