An AFL star is looking at the barrel for an extended time out of play after leaving an opponent face down on the turf on Saturday.
Geelong and Richmond could have played Saturday’s game of the year at the MCG, but the most important point of conversation came in the first quarter.
Tigers midfielder Dion Prestia was left face down on the grass after Cats defender Tom Stewart overlooked his foot and grabbed his opponent high up with his left arm.
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After a nasty bounce, Prestia jumped into the air and hit a high ball in the path of a teammate before being crushed and turned off like a light just inside the boundary line. A free kick was awarded to the Tigers when medical staff rushed to the field to help Prestia.
In really weird scenes, the game continued around Prestia as the doctors tried to put him on his feet.
Garry Lyon of Fox Footy was uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn’t move the ball around with his usual grace.
“This is a great story that unfolds here. You would think they would stop the game,” Lyon said.
Anthony Hudson was equally baffled: “The foot is in the area, so one would think there would be some care and common sense.”
“Why haven’t they stopped the game, surely one of those referees takes control,” Lyon said.
Eventually, Prestia was helped to his feet and grabbed from the ground where he was submerged. Stewart was reported instantly and could be looking at a substantial period on the sidelines.
Stewart played a crucial role in the final result of the game, as Geelong knocked down Richmond in the game of the year.
Geelong coach Chris Scott spoke about the incident during his post-match press conference and shared details of the conversation he had had with Stewart in the halls.
“I have known Tom for a long time and he is a scrupulously fair player and a fantastic and strong character, fundamental to what we do at Geelong. When my time comes, I will look back and say I am honored to have met and coached Tom Stewart, ”Scott said.
“That’s partly because when I talked to him after the game, he just said, ‘I just made a horrible mistake and I feel terrible about it … I ran in front of the ball and chose to hit.’ I wanted to do it, but it was a terrible execution and I will pay the price. “
“Normally it wouldn’t be so expansive, but I think he’s talking to the man. He knows he’s done wrong. Was it deliberate? Of course he wasn’t. He’s made a mistake and, as people I admire do, he’s willing to get up and say “I was wrong.”
“It doesn’t help, then the idea of restorative justice still exists. Like them (the Tigers) they lose one of their best players, but let’s not shy away from that fact. But he should be comforted in the fact that it’s not him and it was a runtime and nothing more.
When asked if Stewart’s character should be taken into account when assessing the incident, Scott said, “I won’t comment on that. I’m a little confused about it all. As an individual, I really don’t believe in punitive actions almost end point, but at some point there has to be a line on how to get to those positions. “
“Absolutely disgusting”: Footy fans are calling for an expulsion rule
The football world did not hold back immediately after the incident, with success sure to be in the spotlight for the next few days.
“An absolutely disgusting headbutt to Dion Prestia,” Peter Brown tweeted.
Jon Ralph said the impact could see Stewart sent straight to court and facing more than three weeks on the sidelines.
“Intentional and high impact are three games. Intentional and severe is directly in court. Tom Stewart has already been reported, “Ralph tweeted.
Kangaroo legend David King applied the heat to the MRO who has not made a statement about contact with the head.
“It’s definitely under scrutiny by the MRO, and let’s be honest, the MRO has been tipping over this situation for 12-18 months and we haven’t changed the behavior of the players,” King said.
“This is going to be the biggest story of the weekend.”
Garry Lyon said the Australian defender will be disappointed with his actions: “He crosses his foot, makes contact with his head and this is as clear as we have seen for some time. It doesn’t look good. He will be disappointed, Tommy Stewart, when he sees it. “
The impact once against sparked the conversation around the AFL that introduced an expulsion rule with many in favor of incorporating one.
“Big fan of Tom Stewart, but my God, that’s atrocious. It’s a really good example of why we need an expulsion rule because it’s a straight red,” Steve Smith tweeted.
Triple M’s Rudi Edsall agreed. “This Stewart hit is why Footy needs an expulsion rule. If he continues to star in a big Cats win, he’ll be terribly upset in his stomach,” he wrote.
Nic Negrepontis of SEN said: “It’s hard to disagree. You’ll only need it a maximum of 4 times a year. Today would be one of them. The Tigers are absolutely paralyzed at losing Prestia.