Myrtleford veteran Brad Murray will miss Sunday's elimination final against Wodonga Raiders at Albury Sportsground after being suspended for the first time in his career at last night's Ovens and Murray tribunal.
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Murray received a two-match ban, with one suspended for the entire 2020 season.
The 37-year-old pleaded not guilty to a charge of striking Albury's Joel Mackie on the stroke of three-quarter-time in last Saturday's clash at Albury Sportsground.
Murray was represented by former Myrtleford coach Andrew Dale and made a case no contact was made to Mackie's head.
Mackie did not attend the hearing and couldn't be contacted by phone, but his advocate Lindsay Rollings provided a report from an Albury club trainer detailing an injury to the Tiger star's nose.
No official medical statement was provided, despite Mackie spending time in hospital after the game.
However, without Mackie there to confirm the injury, tribunal chairman Wayne Taylor deemed the statement could not be as evidence against Murray.
The panel came to a decision to prove the charge from the vision available and was satisfied Murray had made contact to Mackie's head.
Murray, the 2005 Morris Medallist, had never been suspended and reported just twice in his decorated senior career of 20 years.
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Wodonga Raider Alex Daly is free to take on Myrtleford after being proven not guilty of bumping North Albury's Josh Lloyd.
Daly's advocate Nic Conway argued Daly only had eyes for the ball and had no intention to make high contact with Lloyd.
"There was no intent from Alex, not once did he brace for contact. He was exposed," Conway told the tribunal.
After seeing the vision, Lloyd's representative Mark Deegan agreed there was no foul play from Daly.
The panel deliberated for around 15 minutes before revealing its not guilty verdict.
Taylor ruled the contact was careless, not intentional, saying there was no reasonable alternative for Daly as the ball was still in dispute.
Daly played all 18 games for Raiders in the home and away season and has become a reliable asset in defence.
In the first case of the night, Yarrawonga's Josh Tonna was suspended for two matches after being found guilty of striking Wangaratta Rovers' Jack Reiter.
Beau Greenway
I like to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I like to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
