Pearce V DBJ collision

[Art Vandelay_]

the vicbias whinging is so ****ing pathetic.
Pearce didn't attempt to mark the ball and bumped a player in the head.

That isn't vicbias making that 3 weeks, it's his actions - admittedly a split second decision. No malice intended but it should be a suspension.

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

Oh yeah? Tell me how genius

you need less salt in your diet.

 

[chaosball32]

So do you think it’s a decision to hit DBJ high (who incidentally did drop the ball before contact but no time to change Pearce’s decision) and cause a serious concussion upon hitting head on the ground as he had no control on his movements?

If that’s the argument to the AFL, let’s see how it goes.

Not sure how you’ve deducted that from my comment, and it’s ridiculous to pretend Pearce deliberately hit DBJ high.

It’s a pretty standard footballing incident where both players had eyes for the ball and one came off second best. Pearce had maybe 2/10ths of a second to react to the oncoming player. By that point his arm was already extended anticipating the spoil.

I don’t know what you or the MRO expect Pearce to do here. Is he supposed to magically teleport out of the way?

 

[Purple Suit]

the vicbias whinging is so ****ing pathetic.
Pearce didn't attempt to mark the ball and bumped a player in the head.

That isn't vicbias making that 3 weeks, it's his actions - admittedly a split second decision. No malice intended but it should be a suspension.

I don’t think he hit him in the head, his arm was in the way so it was between Pearce’s shoulder and his head. He did get polaxed onto the ground and got concussion though.

If Freo hire Carlton’s lawyers, they could get him off. I’m sure you can be charged with high if you never touched anything high. Freo have no chance though and maybe he deserves weeks. He had very little options though except not turning and probably breaking something since he gets injuries very easily.

Accidents can happen though, look at Cooper Simpson who will be out for longer than DBJ from a bump to the shoulder.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I don’t think he hit him in the head, his arm was in the way so it was between Pearce’s shoulder and his head. He did get polaxed onto the ground and got concussion though.

If Freo hire Carlton’s lawyers, they could get him off. I’m sure you can be charged with high if you never touched anything high. Freo have no chance though and maybe he deserves weeks. He had very little options though except not turning and probably breaking something since he gets injuries very easily.

Accidents can happen though, look at Cooper Simpson who will be out for longer than DBJ from a bump to the shoulder.

That's a braced bicep and elbow to the head IMO.

 

[SC_Power]

Not sure how you’ve deducted that from my comment, and it’s ridiculous to pretend Pearce deliberately hit DBJ high.

It’s a pretty standard footballing incident where both players had eyes for the ball and one came off second best. Pearce had maybe 2/10ths of a second to react to the oncoming player. By that point his arm was already extended anticipating the spoil.

I don’t know what you or the MRO expect Pearce to do here. Is he supposed to magically teleport out of the way?

My bad wording sorry… i should have wrote “a decision to contest the ball that resulted in” the rest….

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

Not sure how you’ve deducted that from my comment, and it’s ridiculous to pretend Pearce deliberately hit DBJ high.

It’s a pretty standard footballing incident where both players had eyes for the ball and one came off second best. Pearce had maybe 2/10ths of a second to react to the oncoming player. By that point his arm was already extended anticipating the spoil.

I don’t know what you or the MRO expect Pearce to do here. Is he supposed to magically teleport out of the way?

So he needs to continue with the spoiling action but he chose to brace for impact and in doing so caused concussion.

The Lobb spoil that punched Cox in the head was ticked off as all fine and OK. Sure, no concussion helped but the MRO chose not to suspend Lobb for that action.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

**** the MRO.

I get we don’t want blokes getting KOd. But what else was Pearce meant to do? He had his eyes on the ball until he saw DBJ in his peripherals and chose to protect himself.

What’s he meant to do? See DBJ coming and think “hmm. I might get suspended here. I’ll make sure I get taken out and win the free.”

He didn’t bump. He was attempting a chest mark and had to make a call to make sure he didn’t get hurt himself.

I hope we appeal but with our run of luck at appealing, it will stay at 3 weeks.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

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That's a braced bicep and elbow to the head IMO.

Bracing here to me doesn’t seem indicative of a decision to bump or initiate unnecessary contact. It’s recognition at last minute that contact was going to occur and an effort to protect himself.

I can’t get on board with the failure on duty of care arguments when DBJ is doing nothing to protect himself from the contact. DBJ’s recklessness has contributed significantly to the outcome.

 

[BigTacoBandit]

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That's a braced bicep and elbow to the head IMO.

If you look at the reverse angle, Pearce had his left arm extended and wasn't bracing at all. Definitely wasn't an elbow to the head.

I would argue that Pearce's approach was reasonable in the circumstances.

 

[El_Scorcho]

I don’t think you two have thought this one through. Of course Pearce would react differently if it was a Freo player, why would he try to spoil his own teammate?

If Pearce doesn’t try to impact the contest, his opponent takes a mark unopposed i50 and has a shot on goal, and then Pearce is being scrutinised for a different reason.

You're right, but this just proves the AFL's argument. Pearce knew DBJ was there, knew what he was doing and had the ability to moderate his impact on the contest.

He made the decision to enter the collision at high speed and concussed his opponent.

The AFL want you to reasonably take steps to keep other players on the field safe as a top priority. If you can't get to a contest without hurting someone, you need to do something different. This is the way it's been adjudicated for a decade (unless there is a potential GF spot for a player from a big Victorian club under threat).

 

[El_Scorcho]

Bracing here to me doesn’t seem indicative of a decision to bump or initiate unnecessary contact. It’s recognition at last minute that contact was going to occur and an effort to protect himself.

I can’t get on board with the failure on duty of care arguments when DBJ is doing nothing to protect himself from the contact. DBJ’s recklessness has contributed significantly to the outcome.

It's the Maynard one again. If I drive my car at 100km/h through a red light into a busy intersection, I can't later argue that the collision was unavoidable because I was already going to fast into too dangerous a situation. The AFL don't want you to put yourself in a situation where a heavy collision is unavoidable if you can reasonably avoid it. If you can't get to a contest without hurting someone, you slow up.

Pearce has full view of the ball and DBJ, DBJ is looking back over his shoulder. DBJ and Pearce both know the rules and DBJ rightfully expects to not get a shoulder to his head. DBJ doesn't need to protect himself, the rules are there to protect him. Players are allowed to run back with the flight to take a mark.

 

[imperial_oz]

Please provide video evidence for all 11 games this year.

 

[imperial_oz]

It's the Maynard one again. If I drive my car at 100km/h through a red light into a busy intersection, I can't later argue that the collision was unavoidable because I was already going to fast into too dangerous a situation. The AFL don't want you to put yourself in a situation where a heavy collision is unavoidable if you can reasonably avoid it. If you can't get to a contest without hurting someone, you slow up.

Pearce has full view of the ball and DBJ, DBJ is looking back over his shoulder. DBJ and Pearce both know the rules and DBJ rightfully expects to not get a shoulder to his head. DBJ doesn't need to protect himself, the rules are there to protect him. Players are allowed to run back with the flight to take a mark.

What a crazy reading of the situation.

Pearce was watching the and this shows very clearly on the video. He doesn't see DBJ until the very last moment and the collision was unavoidable. You say you can run back with the ball, well you can also run forward to mark the ball. There was nothing that said DBJ has the right of way when both are going for the ball.

Put your faux outrage away. Pearce did nothing wrong.

 

[z547043]

I don’t think you two have thought this one through. Of course Pearce would react differently if it was a Freo player, why would he try to spoil his own teammate?

If Pearce doesn’t try to impact the contest, his opponent takes a mark unopposed i50 and has a shot on goal, and then Pearce is being scrutinised for a different reason.

I guess that’s the problem though. He can choose to avoid creating a contest that concusses a player, by your own admission.

The AFL doesn’t care who wins the flag, let alone a game, let alone a marking contest. They do care about the billion dollar concussion lawsuit that’s coming and being proactive to mitigate this.

I understand it goes against any element of competitive spirit that the majority of players have, but if they don’t avoid a collision that knocks someone out, when they an alternative, then they will get weeks.

 

[Paul Kersey]

Rubbish suspension imo.

 

[BigTacoBandit]

I guess that’s the problem though. He can choose to avoid creating a contest that concusses a player, by your own admission.

The AFL doesn’t care who wins the flag, let alone a game, let alone a marking contest. They do care about the billion dollar concussion lawsuit that’s coming and being proactive to mitigate this.

I understand it goes against any element of competitive spirit that the majority of players have, but if they don’t avoid a collision that knocks someone out, when they an alternative, then they will get weeks.

But the AFL appears to want Pearce to go 100% for the mark and not protect himself at all thus creating the chance of 2 concussions.

 

[Purple Suit]

If you look at the reverse angle, Pearce had his left arm extended and wasn't bracing at all. Definitely wasn't an elbow to the head.

I would argue that Pearce's approach was reasonable in the circumstances.
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I think this is the crux of it. It’s not a bump, he never tucked his arm in, his shoulder just came in hard.

Not sure on the exact rules these days but seems like an accidental collision to me.

Not contesting isn’t an option and the fact that DBJ never marked it shows he was in the contest.

 

[Mr5000]

All he had to do was make a play on the ball, stick a fist out and I think he would have been fine.

 

[BigTacoBandit]

I think this is the crux of it. It’s not a bump, he never tucked his arm in, his shoulder just came in hard.

Not sure on the exact rules these days but seems like an accidental collision to me.

Not contesting isn’t an option and the fact that DBJ never marked it shows he was in the contest.

It's a reasonable-ness test for the tribunal.

Was Pearce's conduct unreasonable in these circumstances? I would say no. He went for a mark, made it to the fall of the ball but protected himself (from a potential concussion) once he realized BJ was coming the other way. He didn't tuck his arm like others have done so I wouldn't call it a bump.

Nobody seems to be able to explain what he should have done instead.

 

[Purple Suit]

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That's a braced bicep and elbow to the head IMO.

Ok, let’s say his shoulder got him. Pearces left arm is trailing so he’s not bumping. He’s almost trying to hug him at high speed but turned his body at the last second.

Other photos show it.

 

[SC_Power]

What a crazy reading of the situation.

Pearce was watching the and this shows very clearly on the video. He doesn't see DBJ until the very last moment and the collision was unavoidable. You say you can run back with the ball, well you can also run forward to mark the ball. There was nothing that said DBJ has the right of way when both are going for the ball.

Put your faux outrage away. Pearce did nothing wrong.

Sure, if i ignore the facts that indicate otherwise, I agree with you 100%.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Just like the Peter Wright one last year.

The thing that nobody in footy wants to admit is these injuries are caused by the recklessness of the person running back and having no idea of their surroundings.

Not unlike when players would get hit by bending over and leading with the head. It was their fault. Technique has mostly changed now so that players go in sideways and collide with their hips, protecting their heads.

 

[Purple Suit]

Just like the Peter Wright one last year.

The thing that nobody in footy wants to admit is these injuries are caused by the recklessness of the person running back and having no idea of their surroundings.

Not unlike when players would get hit by bending over and leading with the head. It was their fault. Technique has mostly changed now so that players go in sideways and collide with their hips, protecting their heads.

The issue is the same for both players, they need to get the ball. The kick was suppose to go to DBJ but was over his head so he tracked it back. He also had no option, unless we have a culture shift and don’t bag players for squibing a contest.

There doesn’t always need to be a player at fault for every collision.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The issue is the same for both players, they need to get the ball. The kick was suppose to go to DBJ but was over his head so he tracked it back. He also had no option, unless we have a culture shift and don’t bag players for squibing a contest.

There doesn’t always need to be a player at fault for every collision.

Well the other option is Pearce squibs the contest.

The difference between the players is DBJ had his head completely exposed to oncoming traffic. Pearce didn’t.

The old “run back with the flight, not looking where you’re going” and leaving your front-on completely exposed is the cause. I’m not 100% what the solution is, but that has to change for these hits to become a thing of the past.