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Richmond's Bachar Houli banned for four matches by AFL Appeal Board

Daniel Cherny
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Richmond defender Bachar Houli was suspended for four matches on Thursday night after the AFL's appeal against the decision of its own tribunal was upheld.

Having chosen on Wednesday to take the unprecedented step of appealing the tribunal's two-match ban applied to Houli for his knockout blow to Carlton's Jed Lamb at the MCG on Sunday, AFL football operations manager Simon Lethlean looked on during the hearing at Etihad Stadium, which lasted more than two hours.

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The three-person Appeals Board of Brian Collis QC, Michael Green and chairman Peter O'Callaghan QC took around 10 minutes to come to their decision before briefly outlining their reasons.

Houli will miss matches against Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), St Kilda (Etihad Stadium), Brisbane Lions (Etihad) and Greater Western Sydney (MCG).

The AFL argued that the two-week sanction imposed on Tuesday night by the tribunal had been "manifestly inadequate."

In particular the league had taken umbrage at the tribunal's decision to take into account evidence about Houli's off-field character, including character reference from television personality and Richmond supporter Waleed Aly, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has worked with Houli as part of the defender's off-field work growing football in the Muslim community.

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The board agreed, indicating that they were not relevant considerations.

Houli spoke briefly after the hearing, saying he accepted the decision and that his concern "is and always has been for Jed, and I hope he recovers really quick."

"We move on with life, and I'll do my best to help the team prepare for the next few games," he added.

Lethlean also stopped for a brief statement, noting that Houli would continue to be held in "high regard" despite his indiscretion.

"Our actions in appealing the tribunal decision were about protecting players from injury to the head, and this is very important to us," Lethlean said.

"I want to reassure Bachar that he will continue to be held in high standing and high regard in our game, and in our community."

AFL counsel Andrew Woods drew the analogy that taking into account a player's off-field behaviour in determining a sanction for an on-field incident was like considering whether a member of the public was a good footballer in deciding on a sentence for a criminal matter.

Woods said that doing so would set a "dangerous and cumbersome precedent."

Even if character were to be taken into account, Woods said it should be a factor in determining whether Houli's suspension should be limited to four matches, not whether it should lead to a sanction of fewer than four games.

The AFL claimed that four matches should be the base sanction, leaving open the prospect that the Appeals Board could suspend Houli for more than four games.

The league had also sought to have a fresh medical update on Lamb tendered as evidence on the basis that concussion is not a static condition. However the board said that as Lamb's injury was already known to be "severe" it was unnecessary for new evidence to be allowed. Lamb was on Thursday night left out of the Blues team for Saturday's match against Adelaide at the MCG despite his mandible not being fractured.

Houli's lawyer Michael Tovey QC noted how Houli had sought out Lamb's phone number to apologise, and contended that Houli's work with the Muslim community was of "unique and extraordinary importance." They also argued that Houli's act had not been "an intentional strike to the head" but rather "an intentional strike resulting in contact to the head."

Houli's counsel also made note of tribunal member Wayne Henwood's level of experience, ridiculing the suggestion that he wouldn't appreciate which factors to take into consideration.

Sitting alongside Richmond football chief Neil Balme, Houli averted his eyes as the footage of Sunday's incident was shown on a television monitor.

Houli, 29, has never previously been suspended during his 162-game career. The one-time Essendon player has played all 13 games this season for the Tigers, averaging more than 23 disposals per game.

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