Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020

Billy Frampton suspension news has taken a major turn, with the Collingwood defender cleared at the AFL tribunal after his tackle left Melbourne forward Brody Mihocek with a fractured neck.

Frampton had been handed a three-match ban after the King’s Birthday clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but Collingwood successfully argued the incident was not careless.

For more AFL injury news, read Connor Rozee Ruled Out for Rest of AFL Season as Port Adelaide Captain Suffers Hamstring Setback.

Tribunal Clears Frampton

Collingwood accepted the severe impact and high contact gradings, but lawyer Myles Tehan argued the tackle was a “terribly unfortunate football incident”.

Frampton said Mihocek’s body position and forward drive left him unable to control the landing.

“It felt like I had him in a pretty stable spot,” Frampton said when describing the way he tackled his former Magpies teammate.

“And with him driving through … it raised me up and lifted me up. At that point I was suspended in the air holding onto him, and with his momentum we collapsed through no fault of my own.

“I thought it would be a quick holding the ball. I didn’t expect to be lifted and falling over.

“I assumed I could pull him onto me. I didn’t think it would be a high impact landing.

“But with the driving momentum, it spiralled a little bit into being a bit of an out-of-control landing.”

Official tribunal and fixture updates can be followed through the AFL website.

Mihocek Ruled Out For Season

Mihocek underwent surgery on Tuesday and remains in hospital, where he has started walking again.

AFL tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson said the injury was serious, but the tackle was not unreasonable.

“This accidental impact resulted in a dreadful injury to Brody Mihocek,” Gleeson said in his summary.

“It was, however, not reasonably avoidable. Billy Frampton did not engage in conduct that was unreasonable in the circumstances.”

Frampton said the aftermath had been difficult because Mihocek is a friend and former teammate.

“He’s a good friend of mine. I would never in a million years want to hurt any player, let alone Brody.

“It was a pretty stressful couple of days for me wondering what was going on with him.”