Geelong Advertiser |
ST Joseph's assistant coach Brett Jackman's season is over after being slapped with a 10-game ban for pushing an umpire.
Jackman was found guilty by Football Geelong's tribunal last night for making contact with umpire James Milligan during the third quarter of the Joeys' win over St Albans on Saturday.
Milligan yellow carded and reported Jackman after the Joeys veteran pushed him in the chest.
Milligan told the tribunal he rated the force a five out of 10, adding it made him take a step backwards and had caught him by surprise.
The incident happened after Milligan paid a free kick against Jackman for making high contact with his opponent when the pair went to contest a loose ball.
''Brett, we don't need to tell you, you have been around long enough ... you can't touch an umpire'', tribunal chairman Geoff Stribley said when handing down the decision.
``To me this is just so far from the way you play football. For something like this to happen disappoints me greatly.''
Milligan said a ``frustrated'' Jackman was not abusive at the time of the incident.
``I was half a metre from (Jackman) ... I wasn't in his personal space,'' Milligan said.
``With a right open hand with some force, I rated it five out of 10, pushed me in the left chest.
``From the force I took a step back.''
There was no video of the incident.
Jackman told the tribunal he made contact with the umpire to get his attention as he tried to explain his actions when giving away the free kick.
A remorseful Jackman, who pleaded not guilty, apologised after the incident before he walked off the ground.
Jackman said he and his opponent both had their heads down to go for a loose ball, but he had braced for impact to avoid potential head injuries when giving away the free kick.
"Initially I said `no, no that's not a free kick','' Jackman said.
"I stood up from where it happened ... and said `I was just protecting myself ... we were both going for the ball, what was I supposed to do?'
"I believe that I sort of just touched him to get his attention.''
Player advocate Brad Lancaster argued the contact was at the lower end of the scale and was a ``brain fade'' and an "aberration'' by Jackman.
"He is highly respected within the football community. This sort of incident is an aberration, you know, it is not Brett Jackman,'' Lancaster said.
"Brett Jackman is an extremely fair, honest, hard football player who plays the game the way it should be played. What happened on the weekend I think can be best described as a brain fade.''
The tribunal took into account Jackman's good record which has only seen him get a one match suspension in a decorated 200-game career.
Jackman, Lancaster and coach Heath Jamieson did not comment after the hearing. St Joseph’s has not said whether it will lodge an appeal.
