Brogan to Miss Three
GREATER Western Sydney ruckman Dean Brogan has been charged with rough conduct and will miss three games after facing the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
Brogan, who was referred directly to the Tribunal, was handed a 300-point penalty for his high bump, which broke the jaw of St Kilda's Jack Newnes in Saturday's clash at StarTrack Oval.
The off-the-ball nature of the incident meant the vision was inconclusive, leading the MRP to send the case to the tribunal for a full hearing, which lasted more than two hours.
The incident, which occurred during the first quarter, was assessed as negligent conduct, high impact, and high contact, which would normally draw a 325-point charge.
However, the penalty was left at the discretion of jury members Emmett Dunne, Wayne Schimmelbusch and Richard Loveridge as Brogan did not have an opportunity to plead guilty.
He said he was disappointed with the decision but there was no indication the GIANTS would challenge.
During the hearing, Brogan said St Kilda captain Lenny Hayes had confronted him after the game and asked if he had "hit one of our young blokes behind the play".
Brogan said he had apologised to Newnes post-match and later via a text message and he felt terrible about an injury sustained from an incident he didn't feel was significant.
Behind-the-goals footage used as evidence on Tuesday night showed Brogan jogging off the ground and making contact to Newnes on the edge of the centre square.
Newnes, who will miss one to two matches with a broken jaw, submitted a statement as evidence and said he went to bump Brogan to make his presence felt.
The 20-year-old stayed on the ground for almost eight minutes after the incident but was subbed out at quarter time with concussion.
Tribunal chairman David Jones asked the jury to consider whether Brogan was a substantial cause of the forceful contact, given Newnes moved into his path as he ran from the ground.
Brogan's advocate David Galbally QC compared the incident to someone walking in front of a car at the last moment and police suggesting the driver should have stopped.
The jury, however, found the forceful contact was caused by circumstances within Brogan's control.