An AFL court has confirmed the suspension of three Jackson Archer games after he was involved in a brutal clash that the hospitalized star of the Bulldogs, Luke Cleary.
North Melbourne tried to make the initial prohibition turn over, but they were not successful in their appeal.
The 22-year-old kangaroos midfielder was initially summoned by the MRO after it seemed to contact Cleary's head when the couple challenged for a contest during defeat 17.11 (113) -14.13 (97) by North Melbourne on Saturday.
Initially he was accused of 'rough behavior' with the Mro that indicates that the incident was 'neglected' and added that it was 'severe impact and high contact'.
North Melbourne argued against the decision, stating that his behavior was “reasonable in circumstances and did not constitute approximate behavior.”
But the court finally agreed, defending the prohibition.
The prohibition of three Jackson Archer games has been confirmed by the AFL court on Tuesday night
North Melbourne tried to make the initial prohibition turn over, but it was not successful in its appeal, but the court dismissed the appeal
“It is unlikely that the club appeals the decision,” North Melbourne said in a statement on Tuesday.
During the audience, Archer revealed that he had sent a message to Cleary the day after the incident apologizing to the Bulldogs defender.
“I wanted to take a little time, but I felt bad for him … I waited until the next day and shot him a text message that I lost the incident, I had no intention of what happened and expected it to be right,” Archer told the court according to David Zita de Fox Footy.
“He contacted me quite quickly and said that he was fine and that, for his credit, he told me that he did not believe that it was my fault and that I have nothing to get stressed,” he added.
Much of the case had revolved around how Archer had slowed before heading to the contact situation and if he had anticipated that Cleary would go to the ground while trying to gather football.
“When he starts collecting the ball, I'm starting to reduce enough speed where I can make a fair Tackle,” Archer told the court. “It's not until your knee reaches the ground that I realize that you have chosen to go to the ground.”
He added: 'I am preparing trying to stop my impulse. My butt is down, trying to reduce the speed as much as I can, hit the brakes, obviously, it will grind. I don't want to be in that situation and I don't want it to be in that situation either.
Archer also said that none of the Bulldogs players had spoken during the game about the incident.
Fans resorted to social networks to criticize the Court's decision with some writing 'Footy is dead'
Cleary was hospitalized after the incident with Archer revealing that he had sent a message to the Bulldogs defender the next day to apologize
The AFL court finally dismissed North's appeal, with the president of the Jeff Gleeson court delivering his verdict.
“Archer approached the contest at excessive speed, did not give any reasonable opportunity to avoid harmful contact with Cleary in the circumstances that arose foreseeably,” Gleeson said when the verdict emitted.
“His care duty required him to decrease the speed more appreciably and before to give the opportunity to avoid or minimize the contact of the head high.”
The 22 -year -old, who made 11 provisions and took three points during the game, will now lose the next Roos Games against Melbourne, Adelaide and the Swans.
But some fans have been boiling for the decision. It comes when multiple figures from the world of Footy, including Luke Beveridge, Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt have been torn by the incident.
Many of the football world had expressed concern that a suspension of three games was excessive, with the coach of the Bulldogs Beveridge declaring in AFL360 that Archer did not deserve to miss the next three games.
'Without much knowledge, because I didn't see him after the game, we know that Jackson Archer plays a bit like his father; He is fierce with football and opponent when he needs to be, “Beveridge told AFL360.
“If there were a message or thing that I would like to change within our AFL system … I would modify the criteria that lead to suspensions; the things that are related to (the MRO), the appeal process.
The bulldogs chief Luke Beveridge had also claimed that the prohibition of three games was not reasonable
'I think we can use a civil law approach for this. (En) The balance of probabilities, was there intention? Jackson Archer tried to clean Luke Cleary? No, he didn't.
'Not for a minute I wanted to hurt Luke, I don't think. So, according to what I would like to happen, I don't think I should be out of the game. '
Meanwhile, fans have been reacting to the decision on social networks.
“Footy is dead,” one wrote in X. One lashed out at AFL, writing: “What misfortune the AFL can guarantee that if it were one of the” great clubs “they would have revoked him. Do not stop entering Jacko Hard!
“I am surprised, AFL is a joke, and it will only get worse,” said another.
'I think this could be the end for me and football! This is absolute garbage. The game is cooked.
The incident has proven to be a point of discussion worldwide in Footy, and David King tells Fox Footy: 'Does Archer have enough time to adapt and leave the contest? It is very difficult.
'Sometimes things simply happen with football … I think Archer is not reasonable in a way, but it is also Clary. You have to protect yourself in that case … we do not want players to lead your head like this, especially when there is approximate traffic. We have talked about the problem of brain shock with the people who come recklessly.
'Archer is reaching a speed in which he really has no control over what type of contact is probable. That will have a bearing.