Geelong Advertiser |
GEELONG West-St Peter's star Chris Moreland has been ordered to face the Football Geelong tribunal following an investigation into an off-the-ball incident.
Moreland was last night told he would front a hearing tomorrow night for allegedly making contact with Colac's James Linton in the opening seconds of the Geelong Football League senior clash at Central Reserve on Saturday.
The incident, which left Linton in the hands of the trainers for more than a minute, was directed straight to the tribunal after being reviewed last night by Geelong Football Umpires League director of umpiring Scott McLeod.
Linton, who has represented the GFL and Vic Country this season, broke free from trainers and contested the next centre bounce.
"We don't want to be seen to be squealing or whingeing but this is the third time in a row that Jimmy's been hit off the ball," Colac president Nick Lang said yesterday.
"We just want our players protected. He played out the game but it impacted on his output.
"The Geelong Football League is arguably the best league in country Victoria but everyone has a duty of care to make sure that the game is played in the correct spirit. But my main concern is always for the players' welfare."
Linton also copped a broken nose in the match against Lara in Round 12.
McLeod confirmed Moreland had been cited on video.
"The match day umpires asked that the first 10 minutes be reviewed - there was a melee and a few incidents - and in doing so we have reviewed the incident and I will be issuing a striking charge," McLeod said.
Lang would not comment on the incident but said the club was prepared to take action if the umpires failed to review the footage.
"The umpires have asked for it to be looked at and we don't want to prejudice the case in any way," he said.
"It's only fair that the charged player has a right to defend himself at the tribunal."
Meanwhile, Colac midfielder Andrew Kelly will front the tribunal tomorrow night on a striking charge.
Kelly was reported by goal umpire Cody Espig for striking Geelong West-St Peter's James Hussey in the first quarter of the match.
He was not told of his report until the third quarter when he was given a yellow card by a field umpire and ordered from the field for 15 minutes.
Kelly was offered a one-match set penalty but the Tigers confirmed they would challenge the ban.
Despite winning the Mathieson Medal by six votes, the star midfielder sensationally lost the senior best and fairest award last season after accepting a one-match ban.
