Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Taylor Walker has failed to overturn his one-match AFL suspension after the tribunal upheld his rough conduct ban from Adelaide’s one-point win over Geelong.
The Adelaide great was cited for pushing Geelong defender Connor O’Sullivan into Crows captain Jordan Dawson during a marking contest last Thursday night, with the incident graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
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Adelaide Challenge Falls Short
Walker did not speak during Monday night’s tribunal hearing, but Adelaide’s counsel Andrew Culshaw argued the contact should not have been graded as high.
"What happened here was an attempt to put body on Connor O'Sullivan to keep him away ... to allow Jordan Dawson to mark," Culshaw told the tribunal.
"It went wrong.
"What was supposed to be a nudge to guide him away from the contest ... actually turned into a push in towards the contest.
"Walker accepts that he breached his duty of care ... he regrets that.
"There was no contact that was high. But if you're against us on that, it was of such a minor nature that, in and of itself, it doesn't rise as high or medium impact."
Tribunal Upholds One-Game Ban
AFL counsel Amara Hughes argued the original grading was correct, saying O’Sullivan had been contacted high and with force.
"Our case is that there is high contact, there is actual contact made to the head and neck and the top of the shoulders," she said.
"And also, that contact itself was forceful."
Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson KC and panel members Jordan Bannister and Paul Williams deliberated for 17 minutes before confirming the suspension.
"We are comfortably satisfied that there was contact to O'Sullivan's head," Gleeson said.
"We are also comfortably satisfied the impact was appropriately graded as medium."
Walker will miss Adelaide’s away match against the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night. Official AFL tribunal updates are available through the AFL website.