Tiger becomes first to benefit from new suspension law by: Greg Denham
From: The Australian
February 20, 2012 RICHMOND defender Reece Conca will be the first beneficiary of a significant rule change set to reduce the suspension time of players during the AFL premiership season.
The league has altered its rules relating to when a player can serve his suspension. And for the first time, a suspension incurred in the pre-season competition can be served in pre-season matches.
Under previous rules, players suspended in the pre-season had to serve their time from the start of the premiership season. Last year North Melbourne's Drew Petrie, and Carlton's Michael Jamison (two games) and David Ellard all missed the start of the season proper after being suspended during the pre-season.
AFL general manager of football operations, Adrian Anderson, confirmed yesterday the rule change also applies for the eight practice games in the final weekend of the pre-season series, and the NAB Cup grand final.
"NAB Cup suspensions can be served in the NAB Cup, including the final round which determines placings and prizemoney," Anderson said.
The AFL pays prizemoney down to eighth. The winner of the NAB Cup grand final receives $198,000, while the runner-up collects $132,000. Third- and fourth-placed clubs receive $88,000, with fifth to eighth collecting $44,000.
Conca, 19, will today be cited by the match review panel after umpires lodged a notice of investigation following an incident involving North Melbourne's Leigh Adams in the first NAB Cup match of the year on Friday night at Etihad Stadium.
Adams was substituted off the field following a heavy collision off-the-ball with Conca, who appeared to contact the Kangaroos player with his shoulder.
Goal-to-goal television footage shows Conca pause in front of a running Adams before blocking the seemingly unsuspecting North Melbourne player, which left him staggering and dazed before he was attended to for several minutes while lying on the turf.
Whether the panel assess the incident as striking or rough conduct, the outcome for Conca is likely to be a three-game ban.
But with the Tigers to play a further three pre-season matches, their tough half-back could still be eligible to play against Carlton at the MCG in the opening round.
Under new tribunal guidelines introduced last year for the classification of a striking offence, striking behind the play or off the ball or during a break in play or with a raised forearm or elbow, is usually conclusive that the strike is intentional.
That change was implemented after the match review panel was deemed to have been too lenient with the two-match penalty given to the Gold Coast's Campbell Brown for his off-the-ball strike on then Western Bulldogs player Callan Ward in round three last season when his conduct was assessed as reckless.
Conca, who is ineligible for a good behaviour discount as he is entering only his second season, could attract an initial 425 demerit points if impact is assessed as high.
The Tigers are already without forward Jake King against the Blues following his two-game ban for rough conduct in round 23 last year.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick rated Conca's performance on Friday night as one of his club's positives.
"I thought Reece showed a fair bit, he took another step forward," Hardwick said, adding he was also pleased with former Adelaide ruckman Ivan Maric. "The depth of our list is certainly improving."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/tiger-becomes-first-to-benefit-from-new-suspension-law/story-e6frg7mf-1226275200518
