The Tribunal hearing has started. It will be only a 3 or 4 week suspension.
THREE WEEKS OR FOUR?We're underway.
Tom Stewart's counsel is Ben Ihle and The AFL counsel is Nicholas Pane.
Ihle says Stewart accepts the charge and the classification.
Pane says the player's position is that a three-week penalty is appropriate, while the AFL's position is a four-week penalty would be appropriate.
So the boundary lines have been drawn.
NO FRACTUREAFL confirms that Richmond has provided a subsequent CT scan to the match-day assessment of Dion Prestia and confirmed that no fracture of the cheek was present.
STEWART SUBMISSIONSTom Stewart has submitted two examples to The AFL he wants considered.
The first was a Sam Reid (GWS) bump on Nat Fyfe in 2021 that was graded as careless, high impact and high contact and was given two weeks.
Remember, Stewart's case here has been assessed as severe impact.
The next example is Paddy Dangerfield on Jake Kelly in 2021 that was graded as careless, severe impact and high contact. Dangerfield was given three weeks.
AFL'S SUBMISSIONAFL counsel Nicholas Pane is speaking and reiterates its want for a four-week suspension.
"The bump was delivered by Stewart at speed after he'd gone past the ball with Presita unsuspecting and vulnerable to being injured," he said.
"The Injury suffered by Prestia, concussion, is a serious injury in itself.
"It's the very type of action which can cause serious injury."
He says players in The AFL have a far greater understanding of concussion than they did even 18 months ago in the Dangerfield incident.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/789194/follow-it-live-stewart-facing-the-tribunal-now
