Tigers' rising star is worth the risk
01 August 2006 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan
RICHMOND has a major dilemma. Does it put the club first, as usual, or does it fight for Andrew Raines and his hopes of winning the NAB Rising Star Award?
If Raines takes an early plea on a tripping offence from Saturday's game against St Kilda, he will be free to play against the Bulldogs on Saturday.
The admission of guilt would disqualify him from the $20,000 award for which he shares favouritism with Magpie Heath Shaw.
The incident drew 125 activation points and a one-game sanction, instantly ruling him out of both the Rising Star and Brownlow Medal.
If Raines and Richmond challenge the decision and lose, he will remain out of Rising Star contention and will lose the benefit of an early plea, forcing him out of next Saturday's game.
The issue rekindles memories of Corey McKernan's misfortune in 1994, when he was denied the Rising Star award after being found guilty of tripping by hand.
Raines, like McKernan, was charged with tripping by hand.
The third-quarter incident, involving Aaron Fiora, was deemed by the match review panel to be intentional, of low impact, in play and to the body.
If he could have the charge downgraded to negligent, he would finish under the 100-point threshold, enabling him to play on Saturday and stay eligible for the Rising Star.
The Tigers must make their decision this morning.
It was a black day for Richmond, losing Greg Stafford for two matches and Troy Simmonds. The Simmonds incident was assessed as intentional, Stafford's negligent.
Hard to believe Raines, who lunged at Fiora while on the ground, acted with more deliberation than Stafford. Despite the risk, the Tigers owe Raines an appeal.
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