The AFL’s decision to haul Carlton’s Adam Cerra before the Tribunal over umpire contact has drawn heavy criticism, with Fox Footy broadcaster Gerard Whateley questioning both the logic and the outcome of the move.
Cerra will be the first to face the Tribunal on Tuesday evening, having been directly referred following a collision with umpire Rob O’Gorman during Carlton’s loss to Brisbane.
It marked his fourth such incident in two years, with the previous three resulting only in fines.
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But Whateley has taken aim at the league’s rationale, accusing it of wasting time and resources.
'This does not belong at the tribunal'
“This simply does not belong at the tribunal,” Whateley said on AFL 360. “And if I were the chairman halfway through tomorrow night’s case, I would stop proceedings and go: ‘I don’t understand what you’re asking us to do here.’
“Andrew Dillon has been at great pains to say that this is not going to result in suspension. So I don’t understand what it’s going to achieve.
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“There’s no possibility that what happened on Thursday night should result in a suspension… Just give him an extra two grand? Just do it yourselves!”
Cerra had previously been fined progressively — $1250, $1800 and $3125 — before the incident with O’Gorman last week. This latest referral is set to test the AFL’s tightened stance on contact with umpires, but critics like Whateley believe it sends mixed messages.
“If this is about protecting umpires, great,” he added. “But if it’s not about suspending players, what’s the point of a tribunal hearing?”