2007 Rules for Front on Bump
The AFL updated the Reporting and Tribunal process for the 2007 season. One of the primary reasons was “to protect players from injury to the head, neck and groin”. The first offence updated was “Specific offence of bumping a player front-on with his head down over the ball”.
On the 30th of March (after the Michael Johnson and Matthew Stokes suspensions), Adrian Anderson, the AFL Football Operations Manager reiterated that front-on bumps to a player when he has his head over the ball are now banned and will be subject to a report this season, with the punishments ranging from 125 points or a one-match suspension for a level one offence.
This is all excellent stuff – but this rule has been applied very inconsistently over the course of the 2007 season. As of Round 9, eight players had been reported for this offense. The table below shows a comparison of the “Front-on Bump” Incidents so far in 2007. Checkout the videos and compare each incident for yourself. The difference is obviously the “Conduct” – try and convince me that Michael Johnson was acting with any more intent than any of the other players. It wasn’t even front-on contact.
Michael Johnson has been ripped off.
[Note: I've included the Anthony Rocca one for comparison only - this was a 'Rough Conduct', rather than a front on bump]
| Player | Conduct | Impact | Contact | Offence Level |
Offence Points |
Existing Record |
Penalty Points |
Penalty | Sanction for Guilty Plea |
Result |
| Intentional (3) |
Low (1) |
High (2) |
3 | 400 | None | 400 | 4 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks | |
|
Stokes |
Reckless (2) |
Medium (2) |
High (2) |
3 | 400 | None | 400 | 4 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Negligent (1) |
Low (1) |
High (2) |
1 | 125 | None | 125 | 1 week | Reprimand | Reprimand | |
| Report Dismissed | Nothing | |||||||||
|
Sylvia |
Negligent (1) |
Low (1) |
High (2) |
1 | 125 | None | 125 | 1 week | Reprimand | Reprimand |
| Negligent (1) |
Low (1) |
High (2) |
1 | 125 | Good 25% Discount |
93.75 | Reprimand | Reprimand | Reprimand | |
| Reckless (2) |
Low (1) |
High (2) |
2 | 250 | Poor 10% Increase + 35.93pts |
310.93 | 3 weeks | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | |
| No Action Required | Nothing | |||||||||
| Reckless (2) |
Low (1) |
Body (1) |
1 | 125 | Poor 10% Increase + 93.75pts |
218.75 | 2 weeks | 1 week | 1 week | |
| Negligent (1) |
Medium (2) |
High (2) |
2 | 250 | Good – 25% Discount |
187.52 | 1 week | 1 week | 1 week | |
| Negligent (1) |
Medium (2) |
High (2) |
2 | 225 | None | 225 | 2 weeks | 1 week | 2 weeks | |
| Reckless (2) |
Severe (3) |
High (2) |
5 | 750 | +70.31pts | 820.31 | 8 weeks | 6 weeks | 6 weeks | |
| Negligent (1) |
Medium (2) |
High (2) |
2 | 250 | ?? | 250 | 2 weeks | 1 week | 1 week | |
20 August 2007 at 7:12 pm
How can Roccas contact have been medium when in fact he knocked trhe player out? Makes a farce of Johnson getting 8 weeks when Rocca got none. And Kerr low impact? I ahve seen all these on you tube and it is a joke of a decision, should have got 4 weeks.