Appeal Hearing – James Lawton & Adam Cullen

A Notice of Appeal, in accordance with the National Match Tribunal Guidelines, was lodged by the GGGM FNC for both James Lawton and Adam Cullen in respect to decisions made at a Code of Conduct Committee hearing conducted on 18 August in relation to incidents that transpired at the GGGM and Leeton Crows senior game at the Ganmain Sports Ground on 6 August.

Following the lodgement of the appeal, the Appeal Chairperson Mr Peter Friedlieb, considered the request and found that there were grounds for an appeal.

Those grounds for appeal were against the decision and penalty imposed at the hearing on 18 August and that fact that the GGGM FC was not allowed legal representation. The Appeal Chairperson determined that legal representation should have been allowed at the initial hearing.

Although Mr Friedlieb considered there were grounds for an appeal, he also reinforced that the previous Conduct Committee had been extremely professional and diligent in the manner in which the process had been undertaken given the complexities of the case, and the number of persons found to have breached aspects of the Code of Conduct.

The breaches of the Code of Conduct were reinforced in the penalties handed out by the Conduct Committee panel to those persons involved along with the fines imposed on both the Leeton Crows and GGGM FC’s.

AFL NSW/ACT strongly supported the penalties imposed by the Conduct Committee due to the serious nature of the incidents that occurred at the match.

The Appeal Hearing on 5 September was a full rehearing of the charges against both players that they had breached the AFL NSW/ACT Code of Conduct respectively.

At the hearing, the Appeal Committee found that both players had breached the code of conduct and imposed a penalty on each player in that their registration be revoked until the 23 May, 2017.

AFL Riverina wishes to clarify that the AFL Australian Football Player & Official National Deregistration Policy does not apply to any penalties imposed from a Conduct Committee hearing pursuant to the AFL NSW/ACT Regulations and By-Laws.

The AFL Australian Football Player & Official National Deregistration Policy covers Reportable Offences under the Laws of Australian Football.