Essendon great Tim Watson is perplexed as to why Bombers defender Aaron Francis was fined for his bump on Hawthorn’s Jaeger O'Meara.
Francis received a $2000 fine for his heavy hip and shoulder on O’Meara, which was deemed high by MRO Michael Christian.
Watson says there isn’t much difference between Francis’ bump and the one laid by Collingwood’s Travis Varcoe on Richmond’s Dion Prestia, that resulted in the Tigers midfielder sustaining a rib injury.
Bang! #AFLHawksDons pic.twitter.com/Jgo13y4cpb
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“That’s ridiculous,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“$2000 for bumping somebody? There was no head-high contact.
“I want somebody to tell me why Michael Christian would have thought that it was applicable to give him (Francis) a $2000 fine.
“If that’s the case (contact to the head) then it should have been more than a $2000 fine.
“I don’t know why he was fined $2000 – I have got no idea.
“Travis Varcoe the week before executed a magnificent bump on Dion Prestia, broke his rib, took his body out, injured the bloke and didn’t get a fine.
“What’s the difference between the two?”
Bombers assistant coach Mark Harvey admits he was surprised when he learned of Francis’ sanction.
“I must say, I chatted to one of our managers last night and he made me aware of that situation,” Harvey said.
“I thought it was just a solid hip and shoulder or bump and that’s all I saw, so I was surprised that Aaron had been fined on the back of that.”
Match Review Officer Christian referred to specific camera angles to justify his decision to adjudicate Francis' bump as high.
For those media outlets who have enquired late today on the basis of the Francis/O'Meara charge, the key vision for the Match Review officer for high contact was the reverse angle (attached are 4 stills from that vision). pic.twitter.com/MrBXb4kVPh
— Patrick Keane (@AFL_PKeane) August 6, 2018