Geelong Advertiser |
SOUTH Barwon star Sam Stavenuiter is free to play in Saturday's grand final after being cleared for striking by the GFL tribunal tonight.
Stavenuiter was charged with striking Cameron Young after a video review of the Swans' clash with Grovedale almost a fortnight ago.
The two sides are set to meet again in the GFL's season decider at Simonds Stadium.
Swans director of coaching Matt Verfurth said after last night's marathon hearing that he was happy with the result.
The Swans used high-powered player advocate Iain Findlay, who argued that video evidence shown at the hearing did not show Stavenuiter making contact with Young's face.
He said Stavenuiter had put his arm on the Grovedale players's shoulder to get up after the pair and Young's brother Jarrod fought for the ball in an earlier contest.
Young told the tribunal he felt contact to his neck in his clash with Stavenuiter.
He rated the contact 'four or five' out of 10 and said he 'wasn't surprised' Stavenuiter had been sighted for striking after the video review.
Young said he clutched at his jaw and laid on the ground after the clash because Stavenuiter had made contact with an area he had injured earlier in the game.
In a heated cross-exchange Findlay questioned Young's evidence, suggesting the Grovedale player was 'not telling the truth'. Young denied Findlay's allegation.
'I am not a liar, I've never been a liar,' Young replied. Stavenuiter denied he made any contact with Young's jaw. 'I didn't think there was much in it to be honest,' Stavenuiter said.
Earlier, director of umpiring Scott McLeod argued Stavenuiter made contact to Young's jaw with his right wrist or lower forearm.
He said when reviewing the footage he assessed the contact as reckless, medium or low impact and high contact. Stavenuiter pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Stavenuiter, a former Geelong Falcon, is one of South Barwon's most vital players.
He polled the most votes for the Swans in last week's Mathieson Medal, awarded to the league's best and fairest player.
MEANWHILE, Lara coach Matt Kershaw and the club have been fined $500 each for using abusing language towards an umpire.
