A head-high incident has electrified the ODFA on the eve of the preliminary final

The player advocate of a local footballer alleged to have left an opponent with broken teeth after an alleged elbow has leapt to his defence describing him as an “extremely fair” player. Full details.

James Bresnehan

3 min read

August 10, 2023 - 9:59AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Local Footy

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THE player at the centre of an ODFA tribunal furor must pass a fitness test on Thursday to determine if he can take the field for Campania in the preliminary final against Campbell Town on Saturday.

Campania wingman Brodie Howard, 20, was contacted heavily in an incident by Triabunna player Jeffrey Fisher in the second semi-final last weekend.

The incident, which Howard claims chipped five teeth and left a deep cut on his chin, was caught on camera and spread like wildfire through the football community.

Fisher fronted AFL Tasmania‘s independent tribunal on Tuesday for “intentional, high striking”.

The charge was dismissed.

His player advocate Phil Giffard, who represented Fisher on the night, has also leapt to his defense.

“He’s a 16-year player of club footy, 252 games with a clean record – this is his first report,” Giffard said.

“He’s a forward pocket goal sneak and extremely fair. You can’t play for 16 years and not attract this kind of attention if you’re not fair.”

Giffard said there were other factors at play in the passage of play.

“There were four points of contact one of them being the ground,” Giffard said.

“There is no real way of telling which contact led to what, but I certainly believe here were other factors involved in his injuries and I certainly understand the family’s frustrating in spending the evening in Royal Hobart Hospital outpatients.”

Giffard said the one message that came out of this was the need for all players to wear a mouth guard every time they take the field.

AFL Tasmania said all judicial processes were followed and the tribunal made its decision based on the evidence presented.

“The Independent Tribunal, per due process, heard evidence from all parties at last night’s ODFA hearing.

“The referred player entered a plea of not guilty and gave evidence that he did not make high contact.

“The Tribunal in its deliberation felt there was some doubt as to where the contact was made as the allegedly struck player did have his back turned to the video camera.

“The tribunal dismissed the charge due to there being insufficient evidence to substantiate the initial contact was both high and the sole reason for the injuries sustained.”

EARLIER

A head-high incident that left a player “spitting out chipped teeth” has been dismissed by AFL Tasmania’s independent tribunal and ignited outrage around the competition.

The incident happened in the Oatlands District Football Association second semi-final between Campania and Triabunna last weekend and was heard by a three-member independent tribunal on Tuesday night.

Triabunna’s Jeffrey Fisher faced the tribunal for allegedly striking Campania wingman Brodie Howard.

The tribunal ruled that the damage to Howard may not have been caused by the incident and dismissed the charge.

That surprised Howard, a 20-year-old second-year welding apprentice in his third season as a Campania senior player.

The hit that rocked Tasmanian local footy.

“The three judges that were in there said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove his elbow was the cause of the damage,” Howard said.

“They said therefore he would be playing in the grand final in two weeks’ time — no suspension or anything.”

Howard was direct in his view of the tribunal’s decision.

“There was 100 per cent enough evidence,” he said.

“I replay it on my phone nearly every day.”

Brodie Howard, of ODFA club Campania, with chipped teeth. Picture supplied

Howard said he was “in shock” in the moments after the incident.

“I got five teeth chipped and a nasty cut on the chin,” he said.

The dental work will likely run into the thousands of dollars.

“I’ve got to discuss it with the club to see what we can come up with,” he said.

Brodie’s mother Connie Ransley was furious about the whole affair.

Brodie Howard, of ODFA club Campania, shows damage to his teeth. Picture supplied

“In the video you could see Brodie on the ground spitting bits of his teeth out and walking from the ground covered in blood,” she said.

“Jeffrey Fisher is now allowed to play in the grand final… this is the sort of thing that is classed as ok in Tasmanian football … what a disgrace.”

In a statement online, the ODFA said: “The incident was referred by the Association to the Independent Tribunal. The Association has no control or powers over what decision the Tribunal may make in any case.”