The West Coast Eagles are disappointed by an incident following last weekend’s RAC Derby, where a spectator made offensive remarks to Fremantle forward Michael Walters as he left the field.
The club has offered support to Walters and strongly believes that players should not face abusive or anti-social behavior. Such actions have no place in the sport, and players and staff deserve a safe and respectful environment. The incident is under investigation by the AFL and the Stadium, and the club fully supports this inquiry.
The West Coast Eagles were unsuccessful in their attempt to overturn Tom Barrass’ one-match suspension at the tribunal.
West Coast Eagles defender Tom Barrass has had his one-match ban upheld after losing his appeal at the AFL tribunal on Wednesday afternoon. Barrass was initially suspended for rough conduct following a dangerous tackle on Fremantle Dockers forward Michael Walters during the last quarter of the Eagles’ 37-point upset win in the western derby on Saturday night. Match review officer Michael Christian categorized Barrass’ hit, which involved a swinging motion, as careless conduct with medium impact and high contact.
Michael Walters was uninjured in the tackle and played out the remainder of the match.
The Eagles aimed to have the charge’s impact grading downgraded to low, which would have led to a fine for Barrass instead of a suspension.
In an attempt to argue the ‘good bloke’ clause, which saw Lions forward Charlie Cameron cleared last week, the Eagles highlighted Barrass’ family situation, including his fiancée and two young children, as well as his “few philanthropic interests.”
The Eagles’ case included character references from teammate Jeremy McGovern and former Eagles chair Russell Gibbs.
Barrass, in his defense, stated that he checked on Walters’ welfare repeatedly after the incident. “We ran past each other on the ground and hi-fived and sort of touched each other [afterwards],” he said. “The second [interaction] was after the game shaking hands and he said, ‘I’m good, you’ll be fine, no worries’.”
AFL’s lawyer Adrian Anderson argued that although Walters’ left arm was free in the tackle, it was insufficient to prevent forceful contact with the ground. He added that if Walters’ right arm was free or less force was applied, the impact grading could have been downgraded, resulting in a different outcome for Barrass.
The tribunal deliberated Barrass’ case for over an hour before reaching its verdict.
Consequently, Barrass will miss the Eagles’ round-seven match against the Suns this Sunday.
The tribunal’s decision follows Tuesday night’s charges, where Jesse Hogan was cleared of striking, while Toby Greene’s head-high contact appeal failed.
