Trengove won't change ways despite AFL ban - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Trengove won't change ways despite AFL ban

By Sam Lienert 12/05/2011 07:27:38 PM Comments (0)

Defiant Melbourne youngster Jack Trengove says he will not change the way he tackles, despite being forced to miss three AFL matches.

The Demons failed on Thursday night in an appeal over the 19-year-old midfielder's three-game ban.

The tribunal's original decision on Tuesday had been heavily criticised by Demons players, and the tackle - which forced Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield off the field with concussion - was defended by the club as perfect.

But the appeals board took just minutes to deliberate before dismissing the appeal.

The decision is a major blow for Melbourne, who have also lost ruckman Mark Jamar to a knee injury for four to six weeks and defender Jack Grimes to a foot injury for the season.

Both injuries were suffered in Sunday's match against the Crows.

The club has also been asked by the AFL to explain why Trengove's teammates should not be sanctioned for excessive public criticism of the original decision.

Trengove said the decision had made clear the AFL's opposition to tackles which led to head injuries, but that would not change his approach to the game, even though it might result in another ban.

"I suppose they said it pretty clearly in (the tribunal) that they just want to avoid the real high-contact stuff on the ground. It's got a lot to do with the concussion," Trengove told reporters.

"But I'm still going to go about my footy the same way and tackle with aggression.

"I suppose if an accident like that happens again, then this (disciplinary process) might happen all over again, but we'll just wait and see.

"I felt as though the tackle was still good, so I'll stick by that."

The Demons were able to offer little in the way of fresh arguments for Thursday night's appeal.

The key difference was that they submitted 28 frame-by-frame still photos of the 1.3 second incident, which had been viewed only as video footage in the original hearing.

Melbourne advocate David Galbally QC argued the photos made clear how much Dangerfield's attempt to kick contributed to him falling hard to the ground and hurting his head.

Galbally also submitted an updated medical report from the Crows, produced on Thursday, which stated Dangerfield had no lingering effects from his head knock and was available to play against Gold Coast on Saturday.

But appeals board legal counsel Andrew Tinney SC countered that the argument that Dangerfield contributed to his own injury had already been amply put during Tuesday night's hearing.

And he said the fresh medical evidence, while good news for Dangerfield, did not alter the fact he was unable to return to the field on Sunday and was still diagnosed as having reduced mental powers on Monday.

In announcing the verdict, board chairman Peter O'Callaghan QC said the three tribunal members who made the original decision were experienced and the finding they made was clearly open to them.

Trengove said he was very disappointed.

"Nobody wants to miss three games when they have the opportunity to play. When I'm fighting fit and feeling really good, it's even more disappointing that I can't get out there with the boys."

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