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Brisbane Lions star Charlie Cameron has failed in his bid to overturn a three-match ban for rough conduct, with the AFL arguing he should have released West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan from a tackle instead of going to ground.
Duggan hit the back of his head on the turf after being tackled by Cameron and was subbed out of the Eagles' 13-point loss on Sunday with concussion.
Match review officer Michael Christian assessed the incident on Monday as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
Cameron pleaded not guilty, saying his actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances, but the AFL Tribunal took just 45 minutes to deliberate and uphold the Lions' star's ban.
The decision has drawn criticism across the AFL landscape.
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, duel premiership captain Wayne Carey was scathing of the result.
"Charlie C gets three weeks for a tackle in that way is an absolute joke !! AFLPA do something please #bulls***," Carey said.
ABC Sport broadcaster Clint Wheeldon was also unimpressed with Cameron's suspension.
"Charlie Cameron’s suspension is a disgrace," Wheeldon wrote on X.
"If you defend this decision — go and participate in nothing more physical than Hungry, Hungry Hippos.
"But only with protective glasses on, because there’s a slight risk one of the plastic balls might hit you."
The tribunal said evidence clearly showed Cameron had taken Duggan to the ground with force, in its justification for the ban.
"Contrary to Cameron's evidence, we consider the vision clearly captures Cameron taking Duggan to ground forcefully," AFL Tribunal chair Renee Enbom said.
"It is the combination of the excessive force used in driving Duggan backwards with both of his arms pinned that makes the tackle unreasonable in the circumstances.
"Those two features put Duggan in a highly vulnerable position."
Cameron, who controversially escaped suspension from a dangerous tackle charge earlier in the season on good character grounds, said he lost his balance when his leg got caught up with Duggan.
"I thought I had him, then I lost my footing when he was fighting the tackle and it caused me to lose my balance," he told the Tribunal.
"I intended to stand up in the tackle … but he rotates his body and twists, so he's dragging me down when we get our feet tangled."
The AFL's lawyer Lisa Hannon said Cameron could have released Duggan's right arm as they began falling to ground, and argued the Lions star didn't need to drive his Eagles opponent into the turf with force.
"The fact Cameron's foot may have become entangled with Duggan's was entirely foreseeable and not an exceptional circumstance in a close up tackle," Hannon told the Tribunal.
Cameron believed his coaches would be frustrated with him had he done what Hannon was suggesting.
"If I let him go in the tackle, I'd be in trouble," he said.
Cameron will miss crucial games against ladder-leaders Sydney, Gold Coast and St Kilda as last year's grand finalists, who have won six-straight games, surge to try and secure a top-four berth.
But Brisbane haven't ruled out taking Cameron's case to the AFL appeals board, which Sydney star Isaac Heeney unsuccessfully attempted last week.
Meanwhile, GWS's Toby Bedford joined Cameron in failing to overturn a three-game ban at the AFL Tribunal for tackling.
Bedford was unsuccessful in his bid to downgrade a rough conduct charge on Richmond star Tim Taranto during Sunday's game at the MCG.
The Giants argued it was not a reportable offence, but AFL Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson returned with a disappointing verdict for Bedford after deliberating for about 30 minutes.
"A reasonable player in Bedford's circumstances would have realised that by leaping at Taranto in the way that he did from behind was likely to drive him into the ground," Mr Gleeson said.
Bedford thought he "executed the perfect tackle".
"Even if I let go, I don't think it would've made much of a difference. I don't think I had enough time to do that," the Giants utility told the tribunal.
believed Bedford should have kept his feet and stayed more upright in the tackle.
GWS's legal representative Anais d'Arville was scathing of the AFL's arguments.
"Bedford was faced with the choice of tackling in the manner he did or not tackling at all," Mr d'Arville said.
Bedford will miss matches against Gold Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn.
Gold Coast's Alex Davies was also unsuccessful in overturning his three-match ban for forceful front-on contact after bumping Lachie Jones in the head while the Port player was bent over the ball.
The incident was classified as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
AAP/ABC
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