Weekly Times | NICK Stevens will not take his playing ban appeal that was recently dismissed by the AFL Victoria area appeals committee to court.
Stevens considered taking his case to the Supreme Court after unsuccessfully appealing to have the Sunraysia league’s ban on him registering as a player lifted.
Stevens was last year convicted of multiple domestic abuse-related charges and sentenced to jail, but is appealing the case through the County Court later this year.
The Sunraysia league board announced it would not allow the former Port Adelaide and Carlton midfielder, who originally joined the competition’s reigning premier Red Cliffs as its coach, to register as a player or coach in January.
The board said it would not register Stevens until his criminal appeal proceedings were finalised, claiming his appointment as coach or player at Red Cliffs was “prejudicial to the interests of the league”.
The course of action was confirmed last month when the board refused to register Stevens as a player after he lodged a clearance from the Hume league.
Stevens said the cost and time frame associated with a Supreme Court appeal against the playing ban meant it was “not worth it”, and he would wait until his County Court appeal was heard in July.
Stevens launched an appeal with AFL Victoria against the league board’s position last month after lodging a clearance from the Billabong Crows.
Stevens argued during the process the playing ban would result in financial consequences for him, that he should be allowed to play until his criminal appeal was heard, and that the league had shown bias towards him.
The league argued it was not suitable for Stevens to play with a sentence pending, there was an existing AFL program on tackling violence against women, and sponsors had raised concerns with Stevens’ involvement.
The AFL Victoria area appeals committee handed down its decision earlier this month that the board’s decision should stand at present, but be reconsidered once Stevens’ County Court appeal was heard.
Red Cliffs president Reg Cua could not be reached for comment.
Sunraysia league board president Roslyn Milverton said it was “good that he’s going to abide by the umpires’ decision and wait until his appeal’s held, see what happens from there”.
“It’s great that we can move on with the season and put it all behind us,” Milverton said.