Adelaide has failed in its appeal to overturn Darcy Fogarty's three-match suspension, which was handed down for a tackle that rendered Sydney's Harry Cunningham unconscious. The Crows player will now miss upcoming matches against Collingwood, Essendon, and Richmond.
The incident occurred when Fogarty made contact with Cunningham's head with a swinging arm. The collision resulted in Cunningham suffering a concussion and being unable to continue the match. The initial grading of the offense was careless conduct with severe impact and high contact.
During the Tribunal hearing, the AFL's counsel described Fogarty's action as a "roundhouse style" strike. The Crows' defense argued that the motion was a "wrapping motion" with an open palm, intended for a tackle, and that Fogarty made efforts to lower his contact point. Fogarty himself stated that Cunningham "dove into him" as he attempted the tackle.
Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson rejected these arguments, stating that Fogarty had time to assess the situation and chose to swing his arm forcefully in the direction of Cunningham's head and neck. The Tribunal found the technique to be careless, noting that Fogarty could have completed the tackle without the forceful arm swing. The severity of the impact was confirmed by Cunningham's concussion, leading to the decision to uphold the three-match ban as appropriate.