AFL brings in Conca rule -- NAB Cup suspensions to be now served in H/A season

[one-eyed]

NAB Cup bans get real
By Adam McNicol 
Wed 21 Nov, 2012

PLAYERS who are suspended during the NAB Cup will no longer be able to serve their suspensions in the pre-season competition after a rule change stemming from the AFL's Tribunal review.

In a document released on Wednesday, the League announced that from next season all bans handed out during the NAB Cup would have to be "served in the premiership season, to ensure consistency and to provide a sufficient deterrent for players not to offend".

The issue was thrust into the spotlight in February when Richmond's Reece Conca was banned for three matches for a high bump on North Melbourne's Leigh Adams.

Conca was allowed to serve his suspension during the NAB Cup. Due to Richmond being guaranteed four games under the new round-robin format, he was then available for the Tigers' round one blockbuster against Carlton.

North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell subsequently highlighted a perceived unfairness in the system.

Ziebell had been suspended for three games for his front-on bump on St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in round 23, 2011, but he had to serve the two matches that carried over into 2012 in the first two home and away rounds.

"I think that's a little bit unfair and maybe there's something that can be done about that," Ziebell said in the wake of Conca's ban.

Ziebell wanted all players to be given the chance to serve suspensions during the NAB Cup.

But the AFL has gone in the opposite direction, attempting to clean up the unfairness by ruling that no bans will be served during the pre-season.

The intriguing aspect of the new rule is that players who are suspended during the NAB Cup will be able to keep playing in the competition.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/151422/default.aspx

[Penelope]

so you'd think that means that suspensions from the previous season proper do not prevent a player from player NAB as well?

who knows with these butt clowns?

[mightytiges]

so you'd think that means that suspensions from the previous season proper do not prevent a player from player NAB as well?

who knows with these butt clowns?

Dopey Anderson reckons he's been consistent with this rule change yet in European Soccer it's standard for suspensions (due to cards) to only be served in the competition they were handed out in. We're going to have a situation in round 1 of the NAB Cup where someone will get reported for a week and they'll have to wait 5 weeks to serve the suspension in round 1 of the H/A season while still being allowed to play in the competition (NAB Cup) they were suspended in  .