Carlton defender Lachie Plowman and Hawthorn midfielder Jaeger O'Meara clash at the MCG. Image: carltonfc.com.au
Carlton defender Lachie Plowman will miss Sunday afternoons game against Sydney regardless of whether he is successful at the AFL Appeals Board or not at overturning his 2-week suspension.
Plowman was cited by the MRO for making contact with Hawthorn midfielder Jaeger O’Meara in Saturday’s win at the MCG and was handed a suspension which was upheld on Tuesday night at the AFL Tribunal.
The Blues will have a last ditch effort to overturn the ban and ensure that the lock – down defender will be free to play.
But regardless of the result, Plowman will miss Sunday afternoons game after sustaining a cork to the knee during the game, with the club making the decision not to include him in the traveling party to New South Wales on Sunday afternoon.
“Lachie received a cork to the knee in the first half of last week,” GM of Football Brad Lloyd said.
“We had to make a decision today really whether to bring him so we decided not to bring him over for the game this weekend.”
Carlton is one of a handful of Victorian clubs who are playing games interstate this week and are flying out of the state early to mitigate the risks as a COVID-19 cluster in greater Melbourne continues to grow.
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Lloyd told media the movements came about “pretty quickly”, but said that all clubs have been ready to act should such a situation like this occur with protocols at the ready since the start of the season.
“Were better equipped than what we were previously and we all know how to respond to it,” Lloyd said.
“The playing group and staff are amazing, they click into gear straight away into what’s required. The masks are on and were waiting for the next steps.”
The Blues have been told at this stage they will be returning on Sunday night at the conclusion of their game against the Swans.
The Carlton VFL team is scheduled to play a curtain raiser game against the Sydney reserves side before the AFL game. Carlton have taken a slightly extended squad of players to what they would usually take on an interstate trip.
Lloyd confirmed that Carlton will still follow through and front the AFL’s Appeals board in a bid to seek further clarity not only for themselves but for the game in general.
The jury on Tuesday night ruled that Plowman “executed a bump” as opposed to being involved in a marking contest, A ruling that left Lloyd and many others in the industry scratching their heads.
“We will still go through with the appeal,” he said.
“We feel it was two courageous players contesting, going into a contest, we felt with the way things panned out last night we want to seek some clarity.
“I know I left the hearing wanting some answers on a few things, that clarity. I don’t think it would hurt our club or hurt the industry to to review the hearing and go forward from there.
“Those contests are going to happen fairly regularly and we thought it was worthy of reviewing the situation so we will go to the appeals board.”
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