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A fascinating finals tribunal showdown looms after Brisbane’s semi-final hero Jarrod Berry was offered a suspension for his actions during a semi-final scuffle with Melbourne star Clayton Oliver.
The Lions now face the prospect of being without Berry for their preliminary final against Geelong after he was handed a one-match ban for making “unreasonable or unnecessary contact” to Oliver’s eye region during the Lions’ win over Melbourne on Friday night. The incident was graded intentional conduct, low impact and high contact.
It appears highly likely the Lions will head to the tribunal to challenge the suspension handed to Berry, who claimed there was “nothing purposeful” in the contact he appeared to make to the eyes of Oliver in a spiteful third term at the MCG.
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As the two tussled with Berry pinned on the MCG by Oliver over the top, vision showed the Lion reach up to his opponent’s face.
The Lions’ mid on Friday night said he wasn’t worried about a potential ban, saying the moment was “just a little scuffle in the centre of the MCG” and “part of the contest”.
But Melbourne champion Garry Lyon said Berry would likely have a case to answer for. Lyon said it was “not a great look”, adding on Fox Footy: “If they get through this, he’s going to be in a world of pain.
“I don’t want to use the word eye gouge, but we know when you get into this situation sometimes you’re doing things to try and get yourself out of them.
“Any hand around the eye or motion around the eye is always going to be something the MRO look on very sternly.
“It’s the first movement – it’s a slight raking motion of the eyes. I don’t think you can be a little bit guilty of this.”
Seven-time All-Australian Nathan Buckley admitted it was a “really poor moment” from Berry and said he’s “not in a great position”.
“That is so bittersweet. The thing that has won them this game is that match up (Berry on Oliver) and that performance in the second half by a young player, but it’s very unlikely to see next week given that incident,” Buckley told Fox Footy.
Fellow Fox Footy panellist Nick Riewoldt tried to mount a case in Berry’s defence.
“I think you have to take into consideration that Berry is on his back and he’s got his arm across his face/throat. You are pretty defenceless in that situation,” he said.
“(Berry’s actions are) going to be frowned upon.
“That will be the defence – that he is defenceless on the ground.”
Journalist Jon Ralph told Fox Footy there was something in the ‘defenceless defence’ should the MRO cite Berry’s actions.
“I think he’s in strife,” he said.
“He doesn’t even have to be found guilty of eye gouging … all he needs to be found guilty of is unnecessary or unreasonable contact with the eyes.
“If it’s assessed as intentional, low impact and to the face, or to the eyes, well that’s a one week suspension.
“If he can have it assessed as careless – (argue) ‘I didn’t have my eyes on him, I wasn’t sure what I was doing, it was a getaway motion’, that’s the best option for him to play.”
The moment soured what was a brilliant effort from Berry to turn the match in Brisbane’s favour.
After being held by young opponent Deven Robertson in the opening half, Lions coach Chris Fagan made the tactical move to shift Berry onto Oliver for the second half. And the Lion immediately got under Oliver’s skin.
Berry’s incident was the only incident cited in the MRO’s report from the semi-final.
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