Crows forward Shane McAdam has been handed a three-match ban for his bump on GWS defender Jacob Wehr on Sunday.
The 26-year-old's case was referred directly to the tribunal by the AFL's match review officer after an opening round doused with head-high collisions resulting in sanctions.
Jacob Wehr has been helped from the ground following this incident.#AFLGiantsCrows pic.twitter.com/RBSwwK1mk8
— AFL (@AFL) March 19, 2023
According to AFL.com.au league officials took more than an hour to reach a determination before bringing down a guilty verdict, deeming the bump careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
It followed Adelaide's arguments, bolstered by evidence submitted by medical professionals, that the incident fell short of significant head force contact among questions over the point and level of impact on the Giants' player.
Adelaide's counsel also queried the elevated grading to severe and cited a 2021 incident involving Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield which left then-Crow Jake Kelly concussed, injured and stretchered from the ground which resulted in a three-week ban.
The club went on to compare the incident to Kysaiah Pickett's hit on Bailey Smith the day previous - which resulted in a two-week suspension for the young Demon.
In reviewing the footage AFL counsel Andrew Woods reportedly said there was a "high degree of carelessness" from McAdam.
"He had the option to tackle or change his long strides to short steps…he turns his body, plants both feet and launches full momentum off the ground at Wehr," Woods said, as reported by the AFL's official website.
"In my submission there's a clear election in my mind to bump. I'd suggest there's a high degree of carelessness.
"The tribunal needs to ask itself is this a breach of the duty of care McAdam owed to Wehr? I'd say it fell far below what a reasonable player would consider prudent in the circumstances"
In handing down the decision chairman Jeff Gleeson said "the potential for injury, and serious injury, was very high".
McAdam will be forced to spend the following three rounds on the sidelines. He will be able to return to the Crows' lineup for their round five Friday night clash with Carlton at Adelaide Oval.
Earlier in the week, talk of Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett's chance of a downgrade, even after the wave of scrutiny, for his hit on Bulldog Bailey Smith proved unfounded.
On Monday the 21-year-old Demon accepted his two-game ban from the match review panel, who deemed it careless, high contact and high impact.
The Swans and Lance Franklin similarly accepted a one-match suspension for the 36-year-old's high bump on the Gold Coast's Sam Collins at the weekend.
Although the incident went unpunished during live play, replays and reviews in the following days saw the collision present as far less innocuous than it had previously.
It means Buddy will sit out of Sydney's round two clash against Hawthorn at the SCG on Sunday.
