Cotch reported and cops 4 weeks!!! [update: appeal fails]

[Ramps]

Tiger 'Hille' defence

 * Mark Stevens
  * Herald Sun
  * July 19, 2010

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has urged the match review panel to show consistency after onballer Trent Cotchin was booked for charging.

Cotchin made late contact to North Melbourne's Sam Wright in the second quarter of the MCG clash, forcing him from the ground with heavy concussion.

The fact Wright was sent to hospital for precautionary tests will not help Cotchin's cause as the Tigers prepare to confront the new competition benchmark, Collingwood.

It further soured a 50-point loss to the Kangaroos, but Hardwick was adamant Cotchin should be cut some slack for the heavy hit a split-second after Wright marked the ball.

"We just hope the consistency level that they have adjudicated that one over the course of the season (continues). Very similar I think (to the) David Hille incident, so we'll see how that one pans out," Hardwick said.

"It is a hard one. The game is played at breakneck speed. From our point of view, we will just let the tribunal handle it."

Essendon ruckman Hille was cleared despite making late contact to Geelong's Jimmy Bartel in Round 1.

The decision raised eyebrows at the time and continues to be raised by teams hopeful of getting players off charging reports.

North coach Brad Scott said Wright wanted to return after halftime, but was overruled by medical staff.

"Sam was telling everyone who would listen he was right to go back on the ground, but he couldn't quite tell anyone where he was," Scott said.

"Obviously, you can't risk a player like that. He didn't want to go to hospital, but we just had to err on the side of caution.

"When he got hit, I thought it might have been his shoulder or ribs. When I came in at halftime it was his head. Whether it was when he hit the ground or not, I'm not sure, or just the jolt."

Like Hardwick, Scott was supportive of Cotchin.

"No one likes to see one of their teammates go down like that, (but) nothing against Trent Cotchin. He's a ball player and he goes for the ball," Scott said.

"Sometimes it's a split-second decision whether you go or stay. We didn't think there was anything untoward in it at all."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tiger-hille-defence/story-e6frf9jf-1225893668948

The umpires comments will be used to get trent off IMHO. Umpire says that the contact was and I quote " marginally late" You can clearly hear the comments made by the Umpire. The word "marginally" is important to the Cotchin defence.

[smasha]

Shouldn't get any because of his good record,the umpires statements,Scotts statements and Hille doing the same thing and getting off a few times.

[TigerLand]

Been offered 3 weeks..

What a farce... What a farce. 3 weeks...

Hows Cambell Browns knock that got 0 week to a guys head over the footy.

[Tigermonk]

effing outrageous. Purely states that Richmond is victim of a outrageous weak system  

Motlop got only 2 weeks for something similar

[the_boy_jake]

Have to challenge that.

3 weeks or 4, no big diff.

[one-eyed]

Trent Cotchin, Richmond, has been charged with a level Four charging offence against Sam Wright, North Melbourne, during the second quarter of the round 16 match between Richmond and North Melbourne, played at the MCG on Sunday July 18, 2010.

In summary, he can accept a three-match sanction with an early plea.

The incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), high impact (three points) and high contact (two points). This is a total of seven activation points, resulting in a classification of a level Four offence, drawing 425 demerit points and a four-match sanction. He has no existing good or bad record. An early plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to 318.75 points and a three-match sanction.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/98541/default.aspx

[RollsRoyce]

4 WEEKS!!! 3 WITH AN EARLY PLEA?? Do you believe this?? Never mind Cotchin's spotless record. Never mind that it was a split second late. Never mind that even the reporting umpire said it was "marginally late."
What further proof do we need that the MRP system and the umpiring is TOTALLY RIGGED against the struggling clubs? I'm so FILTHY on this I feel like lobbing a molotov cocktail through the AFL's front door. During business hours!!!!

[WilliamPowell]

Why is everyone so surprised and shocked

This the consistently inconsistent MRP we are talking about, what do you seriously expect

DO I agree? Absolutely not

Am I shocked - sadly not at all 

[RollsRoyce]

I'm shocked because I thought, even factoring in the league's obvious anti-Richmond bias in EVERYTHING, that the most Cotchin would get for such a light hit would be a week.
The contact wasn't to the head, he was more likely concussed when his head hit the ground.
A poster on PRE put forward the theory that the TAB is putting a lot of pressure on the AFL to do everything in its' power to ensure we get the wooden spoon, after paying out on us early, so they don't lose a shed-load of $$$. Some may argue that this is paranoid thinking. But really, how else can you explain the treatment we've been getting from the umpires and the MRP in recent weeks??

[mightytiges]

You would reckon we'll challenge even if it is to reduce the charge. The main contact point was to the upper back not the head and the "high" impact can also be contested as Wright is okay. It was fractionally late, it was a free, it was a 50m penalty, but 4 weeks for a first time offender where no one got seriously hurt ..... please!  . What McKenzie did tunnelling Neagle on the mark is a far more dangerous act as Neagle would not have been expecting contact from behind let alone having his legs taken from under him as he jumped up.  

Based on Hille's 3 charging reports Cotch should get off on the challenge if the tribunal is consistent but as we know it and the MRP aren't and that's why it's a joke. WP is right. This sort of penalty is way way too harsh but no surprise. It's pull a random penalty out of the hat at the MRP each and every week .

[mightytiges]

I'm shocked because I thought, even factoring in the league's obvious anti-Richmond bias in EVERYTHING, that the most Cotchin would get for such a light hit would be a week.
The contact wasn't to the head, he was more likely concussed when his head hit the ground.
A poster on PRE put forward the theory that the TAB is putting a lot of pressure on the AFL to do everything in its' power to ensure we get the wooden spoon, after paying out on us early, so they don't lose a shed-load of $$$. Some may argue that this is paranoid thinking. But really, how else can you explain the treatment we've been getting from the umpires and the MRP in recent weeks??

Jacko copping 2 weeks while Brown copped nothing was a joke. Brown had no intention of going for the ball and he should have gone for rough conduct at least. Jacko retaliating with a slight headbutt though was stupid and then Dr. Death's explanation when the Club challenged and failed was even more stupid.

Jacko was dumb last week with his contact with Ballantyne off the ball. We needed him yesterday in the midfield and he wasn't there.

3-4 weeks for Cotch is way way too harsh. 2 weeks maximum is all he should have got and one week with an early plea.

It's not so much what our guys copped but that other club's high profile players get off for similar if not worse offences. For instance Judd getting off for whacking Pav in the face with a elbow while on the ground, Hille getting off 3 times for late charges from behind, etc...

[cub]

[Ramps]

club must appeal. if he gets 4 weeks then thats it for this season. start getting him ready for 2011.

[3rogerd]

too me he looks sore anyway, good time for a rest
perhaps we should take it and raise them and challenge
nothing too lose.

until some one makes a stand by club or individual these clowns
will continue to come up with these decisions..

DJ was right it is becoming or has become a pussy sport.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Garbage decision.
Byist decision.
Inconsistent Decision.