Kane Cornes was stunned after Carlton’s Jack Martin was handed a two-match ban for striking Sydney’s Nick Blakey in Friday night’s 74-68 Elimination Final win at the MCG.
While Cornes understands that Martin was always going to be cited for the swinging arm which collected Blakey in the jaw, he believes it had to be a one-week suspension.
As the incident was graded as careless conduct, high impact and high contact, the verdict came out as two weeks according to MRO calculations.
Cornes believes Carlton wil head to the Tribunal where they’ll argue that the impact was medium instead of high, which would result in a one-week ban if the Tribunal agrees with the club.
He discussed the pending challenge with Damian Barrett on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show where he labelled the upcoming protest as a waste of time.
Barrett: “I thought it was maybe one, but they’ve given it two.
“They’ve graded it as careless contact, high impact and high contact and that’s got to two weeks.
“They’ll take that to the Tribunal and they’ll attempt to get it down to one.
“But I cannot see them getting it removed totally, so he won’t be playing next week.”
Cornes: “How that comes out as two is bemusing.
“How can they get that to two? That is for all money a one-week suspension.
Barrett: “I thought so too.”
Cornes: “It’s one, so they’ll argue that down from high to medium and he’ll get one.
“What a waste of time, that is a one-week suspension instead of two.”
Barrett: “It might have to go to the Appeal Board to get it down to one.”
The AFL will have to hear multiple cases this week if Carlton opts to appeal with Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard set to face the Tribunal for his rough conduct charge.
If Martin does end up with a one-week ban, he’ll miss Carlton’s semi-final against Melbourne at the MCG.
"What a waste of time. That is a one week suspension – not two."@kanecornes on the MRO's two-match ban for Jack Martin's high hit on Nick Blakey. #9AFLSFS | Channel 9 📺 pic.twitter.com/4OpSSYuqQN
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) September 10, 2023