Chastened Biglands gets four
8:16:40 PM Tue 13 April, 2004
Samantha Lane
Sportal
Adelaide ruckman
The month-long ban leaves the winless Crows side without the key player, who shares the rucking duties with Matthew Clarke.
A remorseful Biglands travelled to the AFL tribunal for his hearing on Tuesday night, and said he had been severely reprimanded by his coach Gary Ayres and fined by his club for his actions.
Polak was concussed after being met forcibly by Bigland’s upper forearm during Sunday’s match at Subiaco Oval. He was removed from the ground on a stretcher and was unable to provide evidence at the tribunal as he has no recollection of the incident.
The report was laid immediately by field umpire Kieron Nicholls.
Tribunal chairman Brian Collis said players had a responsibility to play fairly and responsibly, and that Bigland’s crude strike had the potential to inflict serious injury.
Biglands said he understood he had brought the game into disrepute by such a crude action.
“It was a poorly executed fend off, a blatant skill error and a terrible one at that,” he said on Tuesday night.
“It was a fend-off that went horribly wrong.”
“There was no way in the world I intended to hurt him. My intention was to contact his chest.”
Biglands said he had telephoned Polak for the second time on Tuesday, and also communicated an apology via- Docker Matthew Pavlich on the day of the round three match. Biglands said he had also apologised to Polak’s parents.
Fremantle expects Polak to recover from the mild concussion he suffered after the incident.
Biglands will miss his side’s clashes with St Kilda, Richmond, Geelong and Port Adelaide.