JIMMY BARTEL CITED FOR 'ROUGH CONDUCT' - OFFERED ONE MATCH SUSPENSION
Ben Jensen 12 June 2006

By Ben Jensen JIMMY BARTEL, one of Geelong's most consistent players this season, has been offered a one match suspension after being cited by the AFL's Match Review Panel for 'rough conduct' against Essendon's Damien Peverill. Bartel, who has kicked thirteen goals this season in eleven games, is likely to be replaced by Kane Tenace should the ban be upheld. Geelong has until 11am Tuesday 13 June to lodge an appeal.

Bartel's contact with Peverill, during the fourth quarter when the game was all but over, was adjudged as 'reckless conduct' (two points), 'low impact' (one point), 'high contact' (two points). This equals five activation points, which somehow translates into 125 'demerit points'.

Due to his record of suspensions in the past three years, Bartel cannot receive a 25% discount (that would have reduced the 'demerit points' to just 93.75 points) and instead receives a 10% increase - taking his total demerit points to around 138.

An early guilty plea reduces the demerit points to around 103 points - an automatic one match suspension. Fortunately for Bartel, if he pleads guilty he will only carry over only three demerit points, but will receive a 10% loading if found guilty of an offence in the next three years. As we saw in this case, a 'good' or 'bad' record makes all the difference between receiving a caution and a one match suspension.

Bartel knows what it's like to be felled whilst having his head over the ball - in round three last season former teammate Brent Moloney, the main chess piece in Geelong's trade for Brad Ottens, knocked Bartel out and received a two match suspension. STORY (14/4/2005)

Bartel will be missed in the Cats' crunch match with the Dockers at Subiaco next Saturday - Geelong lost to Fremantle at home last season and only having four wins to the half way mark, need to knock off the Dockers to have any chance of making the finals.

Kane Tenace, missing due to a knee injury suffered against Collingwood in Round 8, played in the VFL Team's loss to Williamstown on Sunday and also the win over North Ballarat the weekend before.

AFL Press Release

"Jimmy Bartel, Geelong, has been charged with engaging in rough conduct against Damien Peverill, Essendon, during the fourth quarter of the Round 11 match between Geelong and Essendon, played at Telstra Dome on Friday June 9, 2006.

His one-game sanction cannot be reduced with an early plea, due to his previous suspensions within the last three years.

The incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point), in play (no points) and high contact (two points). This is a total of five activation points, which relates to a Level Two offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-game sanction. He has a total of two matches suspended within the last three years, which increases the penalty by 10 per cent to 137.50 points. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 103.13 points and a one-game sanction."