JOEL SELWOOD SUSPENDED FOR 4 MATCHES; VIDEO FOOTAGE
Ben Jensen 14 June 2011

By Ben Jensen twitter.com/thecattery SELWOOD OUT OF BROWNLOW RUNNING JOEL SELWOOD has been suspended for four matches by the AFL tribunal tonight after failing to have the AFL Match Review Panel's ruling overturned.

Geelongh player Selwood was cited on Monday night for striking by the AFL Match Review Panel following Geelong's thrilling win over Hawthorn on Saturday night at the MCG. Selwood and Brent Guerra clashed on the wing towards the end of the match some distance from the ball, with Guerra, for once, coming off second best. It is believed Guerra's testimony to AFL investigators today led to the charge being laid. Guerra's eardrum was perforated by the incident. Selwood will miss 3 matches if he pleads guilty and obviously be ineligible for the Brownlow Medal.

The MRP assessed the incident as as intentional conduct (3 points), high impact (3 points) and high contact (2 points) drawing 425 demerit points and a 4-match sanction. With a clean record so far Selwood was eligible for a 25% reduction in the sanction to 318.75 points with a guilty plea, a 3 game ban with 18.75 points carried over, however he and the club jointly decided to challenge the assessment.

Guerra himself was cleared for high contact with Selwood also in the final quarter. Guerra was deemed to have stood his ground as Selwood came in low to try and gather the ball. Guerra was judged to have not moved forward with no alternative than standing his ground.

It is Selwood's first suspension of his career, which so far has spanned 104 games since debuting in the Cats' groundbreaking 2007 season.

VIDEO FOOTAGE

AFL statement (from AFL.com.au):

EVIDENCE from Hawthorn’s Brent Guerra after an investigation on Monday has helped the match review panel charge Geelong star Joel Selwood with a level-five striking offence, which incurs a four-week sanction. Selwood can accept a three-week ban with an early plea.

The panel relied on testimony supplied by Guerra as well as video evidence and a medical report from Hawthorn in reaching their decision.

Guerra suffered a perforated eardrum following the incident causing issues with his balance and hearing but the club is monitoring his progress, confirming he has improved significantly over the past 24 hours.

The incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), high impact (three points) and high contact (two points) drawing 425 demerit points and a four-match sanction.

Selwood has no existing good or bad record and an early guilty plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to 318.75 points and a three-match ban.

If Selwood accepts the ban he will be ineligible for the Brownlow Medal.

Selwood is the only player facing a ban from the seven matches assessed in round 12 so far.

GEELONG: 5.2 10.2 10.6 13.10 (88) DEFEATED
HAWTHORN: 2.1 9.2 13.513.5 (83)

GOALS
GEELONG: Podsiadly 6, Johnson 2, Varcoe, Menzel, Stokes, Chapman, Vardy
HAWTHORN: Franklin 4, Lewis, Osborne, Young, Sewell, Savage, Rioli, Renouf, Whitecross, Bruest

BEST
GEELONG: Podsiadly, Kelly, Enright, Chapman, Selwood, Johnson
HAWTHORN: Mitchell, Franklin, Shiels, Sewell, Rioli, Lewis

CHANGES
GEELONG: Nil
HAWTHORN: Max Bailey (cork) replaced in the selected side by Lady Brent Renouf

INJURIES
GEELONG: Nil
HAWTHORN: Young (hamstring), Roughead (Achilles), Guerra (cheekbone)

REPORTS: Nil

UMPIRES: Farmer, Findlay, McBurney
CROWD: 63,476 at MCG, Melbourne