footballphantom
24 May 2003, 17:26
From the Herald Sun
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,6483105%255E20322,00.html
Power to push point over Cornes 'slur'
24 May 2003 Herald Sun
By MICHELANGELO RUCCI in Adelaide
PORT Adelaide's frustration with the handling of key forward Chad Cornes' video report - and subsequent two-match suspension - continues without satisfaction for the Power.
Port chief executive Brian Cunningham yesterday personally took to AFL headquarters the club's protest at the language field umpire Dean Margetts used at the AFL Tribunal, and the line of questioning AFL reporting officer Rick Lewis directed at Cornes at the appeal.
Cunningham was told by AFL football operations manager Andrew Demetriou to make his point in writing to tribunal chairman Brian Collis, QC, rather than to the league, which is reluctant to tamper with the independence of the judiciary.
"We will make a submission," Cunningham said last night. "We have two basic issues, the slur on Chad Cornes and our club."
Cornes was reported after video review by Margetts for rough play, citing the Power forward for kneeing Kangaroo Jess Sinclair in the third term of last Saturday's match.
Port, which lost $15,000 in its unsuccessful fight to clear Cornes' name, has two sour notes from its path through the AFL judiciary. From the tribunal on Tuesday, the Power took exception to Margetts testifying that Cornes had put his knees into Sinclair "to finish him off".
Margetts retracted this at the appeal, saying he had chosen his words poorly.
"Chad has no chance to respond to the umpire's remarks, which are a slur on his integrity," Cunningham said.
AFL players cannot comment on umpires or the tribunal without the risk of a fine. At the appeal on Thursday, Port objected to Lewis's pointed questioning of Cornes and his summation describing the Power's challenge to the two-match ban as "the most amateurish smoke-and-mirrors trick" he had seen.
"We don't appreciate being referred to as a smoke-and-mirrors club," Cunningham said. "It is an inappropriate reflection on the whole club, and one we will not let pass without responding, as we have been asked, to the tribunal chairman."
Demetriou left yesterday's meeting with Cunningham refusing to compromise the independence of the tribunal.
The league will not step into this matter unless Collis seeks AFL intervention, either to reprimand Margetts or Lewis or both.
"The process, with the tribunal and the appeals board, has worked and worked well," Demetriou said.
The last sentence I found amusing. Do the heads at AFL House not read the papers, emails etc. There has been so much written and said about the tribunal and he reckons it works well???
Maybe we had all better hope that he does not get the job.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,6483105%255E20322,00.html
Power to push point over Cornes 'slur'
24 May 2003 Herald Sun
By MICHELANGELO RUCCI in Adelaide
PORT Adelaide's frustration with the handling of key forward Chad Cornes' video report - and subsequent two-match suspension - continues without satisfaction for the Power.
Port chief executive Brian Cunningham yesterday personally took to AFL headquarters the club's protest at the language field umpire Dean Margetts used at the AFL Tribunal, and the line of questioning AFL reporting officer Rick Lewis directed at Cornes at the appeal.
Cunningham was told by AFL football operations manager Andrew Demetriou to make his point in writing to tribunal chairman Brian Collis, QC, rather than to the league, which is reluctant to tamper with the independence of the judiciary.
"We will make a submission," Cunningham said last night. "We have two basic issues, the slur on Chad Cornes and our club."
Cornes was reported after video review by Margetts for rough play, citing the Power forward for kneeing Kangaroo Jess Sinclair in the third term of last Saturday's match.
Port, which lost $15,000 in its unsuccessful fight to clear Cornes' name, has two sour notes from its path through the AFL judiciary. From the tribunal on Tuesday, the Power took exception to Margetts testifying that Cornes had put his knees into Sinclair "to finish him off".
Margetts retracted this at the appeal, saying he had chosen his words poorly.
"Chad has no chance to respond to the umpire's remarks, which are a slur on his integrity," Cunningham said.
AFL players cannot comment on umpires or the tribunal without the risk of a fine. At the appeal on Thursday, Port objected to Lewis's pointed questioning of Cornes and his summation describing the Power's challenge to the two-match ban as "the most amateurish smoke-and-mirrors trick" he had seen.
"We don't appreciate being referred to as a smoke-and-mirrors club," Cunningham said. "It is an inappropriate reflection on the whole club, and one we will not let pass without responding, as we have been asked, to the tribunal chairman."
Demetriou left yesterday's meeting with Cunningham refusing to compromise the independence of the tribunal.
The league will not step into this matter unless Collis seeks AFL intervention, either to reprimand Margetts or Lewis or both.
"The process, with the tribunal and the appeals board, has worked and worked well," Demetriou said.
The last sentence I found amusing. Do the heads at AFL House not read the papers, emails etc. There has been so much written and said about the tribunal and he reckons it works well???
Maybe we had all better hope that he does not get the job.