Geelong Advertiser | COLAC has confirmed it will challenge a three-game suspension handed to captain Kane Leersen for striking.
President Matt Gibson tonight issued a statement declaring the club’s intent to fight the ban.
“We can confirm that the Colac FNC will be appealing Kane Leersen’s decision and subsequent suspension with AFL Vic Country,” the statement read.
“We will not however be appealing Lochlan Veale’s decision or suspension. The club will be making no further comment in order to give the appeal a just hearing.”
The hearing is likely to be on Saturday morning ahead of the Tigers’ crucial clash against Bell Park, Gibson said.
Leersen and Veale copped three match bans for separate incidents in a fiery clash with St Joseph’s on Saturday.
Veale was banned after being found guilty of striking St Joseph’s Tim Bourke.
The club is privately seething with the decision on Leersen, who pleaded not guilty to striking Joey Jackson Davis.
Video evidence showed Leersen closed in to smother Davis’ kick and turned to bump.
“I turned so I didn’t make contact face to face,” Leersen told the tribunal.
“There was no malicious intent, I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I’m the captain and the worst-case scenario was to get sent off and that’s what happened.”
Davis earlier told the tribunal, chaired by Phil Swindells, he felt contact to the chest and rated the severity of the incident “five out of 10”.
He wasn’t hurt by the bump but hit his head as he fell to the ground.
“I had no injuries from the contact. My head hit the ground and I had a headache,” Davis said.
He returned to the field in the next rotation, three minutes later.
Leersen tried to argue that he could have been “more aggressive” but the tribunal unanimously deemed he could have avoided the bump.
It is understood Colac has to fork out $5500 for the appeal.
