The bump faces a serious test case on Tuesday night with the Western Bulldogs’ Zaine Cordy referred directly to the Tribunal for a hit that saw GWS’ Tanner Bruhn concussed.
Cordy made shoulder to shoulder contact with Bruhn during the Bulldogs’ Round 22 win, sending the young Giant to the ground where his head hit the Marvel Stadium turf.
Bruhn suffered a concussion but the incident took place within the legal five meters of the ball, as Cordy was shepherding for teammate Ed Richards.
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The confusing elements of the case have seen it sent straight to the Tribunal without actually being graded by Match Review Officer Michael Christian.
“The incident involving the Western Bulldogs’ Zaine Cordy and the GWS Giants’ Tanner Bruhn during the fourth quarter of the Round 22 match between the Western Bulldogs and the GWS Giants, played at Marvel Stadium on Saturday 13 August, 2022, was assessed,” the AFL said in a statement.
“The notice of charge has been referred directly to the Court for determination.
“The incident is ungraded.
“Cordy is not able to accept an early plea.”
The most recent incident referred to the Tribunal ungraded before this was Eric Hipwood’s umpire contact involving Ryan Gardner and Jacob Mollison in Round 16. He eventually avoided suspension, but was found guilty and fined $2500.
Zaine Cordy has been referred directly to the Tribunal for this bump on Tanner Bruhn.Source: FOX SPORTS
“Zaine Cordy runs past the ball, he hits Tanner Bruhn within the legal five-meter limit. He didn’t hit him in the head, it was shoulder to shoulder,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph explained on Fox Footy’s coverage on Sunday.
“But Bruhn is concussed – potentially when his head hits the ground after that shepherd. This is such a tough case for Michael Christian to adjudicate.”
Brodie Grundy reportedly walked away from a recent meeting with Melbourne very impressed.
Plus why the Power are well placed for the next few years and the two-club race for a Giants star.
Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!
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PIES STAR ‘BLOWN AWAY’ BY DEES IN MEETING
Brodie Grundy was reportedly “blown away” by Melbourne when the Collingwood star met with key Dees figures in recent weeks.
The Demons, as well as Geelong, last week emerged as “potential new suitors” for Grundy, who’s now central to ample trade speculation as the Pies consider offloading the 28-year-old’s lucrative contract — worth around $1 million per season until 2027 — to clear cap space for the likes of rival players Dan McStay, Bobby Hill and Tim Taranto.
Giants football boss Jason McCartney was seen meeting Grundy’s manager last month, while Port Adelaide has also been linked to the dual All-Australian.
While the Giants are now considered out of the race, the Dees have emerged as the front-runners for Grundy, who reportedly met with Melbourne figures, including coach Simon Goodwin, footy boss Alan Richardson and skipper Max Gawn, in recent weeks.
Lewis 50/50 on Gawn & Grundy tandem | 01:24
And SEN reporter Sam Edmund said Grundy liked what he saw from the Dees.
“He was so impressed by the vision Melbourne set, their professionalism and what they sold to him,” Edmund told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“It doesn’t mean that Melbourne are going for Brodie Grundy as a priority, I’m told they might want to go younger, they might want to go cheaper, but they have met with him and been very impressive getting in front of Brodie Grundy.”
Edmund pointed out the Dees also impressed Adam Cerra in a presentation, only for the midfielder to choose Carlton as Melbourne “didn’t have the levers to pull to get him in the door”.
While Goodwin last week didn’t confirm the club had met with Grundy, he said the Dees were keen to play two rucks next season amid Luke Jackson’s strong links to Fremantle.
Grundy, who hasn’t played an AFL game since Anzac Day due to a knee issue, had been nearing a return to the AFL before suffering a stress fracture in his ankle in a VFL match, ruling him out for the rest of the home and away season.
POWER PRIMED TO LAUNCH IN OFF-SEASON
Port Adelaide is well prepared to pounce on a star rival player at some stage over the next two years thanks to clever list decisions, reports the Herald Sun.
While the Power will miss finals this year after two straight preliminary final appearances in the previous two seasons, they’re in a good position to launch into the market either this year or next year.
the Herald Sun reported the Power have the capacity to be “bold and adventurous”, thanks to shrewd list management calls that have seen them generate more salary cap space than most other rival clubs.
Koch keeps Hinkley for 2023! | 02:49
According to the newspaper’s ‘AFL Rich 100’, which ranks the top 100 highest-paid players in the competition in 2022, only one Power player sits inside the top 50 – Brownlow Medalist Ollie Wines at $750,000 to $850,000 – with Scott Lycett (No. 75) and Charlie Dixon (No. 100) next in line.
It means they could make a big play for Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley or contracted Magpie Brodie Grundy, should either of them wish to move to South Australia.
The Power are preparing to lose wingman Karl Amon, who’s set to exercise his free agency rights and join a rival Victorian club.
TIGERS ‘RIGHT IN THE MIX’ FOR GIANTS STAR
Collingwood could have a fight on its hands to land Tim Taranto, with Richmond “coming hard” for the off-contract Giant.
The Giants, again, are set to be active during the upcoming AFL exchange period, with several players, including Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn and Bobby Hill linked to rival clubs.
Taranto has been linked to four Victorian-based clubs, but the Tigers and Magpies appear best placed to fight for his services.
Despite the strong links to Collingwood, SEN reporter Sam Edmund said the Tigers were “right in the mix” for Taranto.
Rutten optimistic Heppell will stay | 00:48
“I know he’s been linked heavily with Collingwood, but Richmond (is) coming hard for Tim Taranto as well,” Edmund told Crunch Time.
“If you’re sitting here right now, you’re saying he’s either going to be at Punt Road or Collingwood next year.”
Taranto, who is out of contract but not a free agent until 2024, would be worth a first-round draft pick, according to Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy.
The on-baller has played 113 games for the Giants since being drafted with Pick 2 in the 2016 draft. He won the club’s best and fairest in its Grand Final year of 2019.
Fremantle expect Rory Lobb to back up against GWS, despite being subbed out of the win over West Coast.
While the Roos are counting the injury toll from a bruising encounter with the Crows.
Get the latest AFL injury news in our Round 22 Casualty Ward!
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FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir has defended the club’s decision to sub Rory Lob out of the win over West Coast late, despite then admitting he expects the star to play next weekend.
Lobb has been carrying a shoulder injury for the past few weeks and appeared to aggravate it in a marking contest in the third term.
But the big forward waved away medical staff and played on, despite clearly carrying his right shoulder.
“He’s sore,” Longmuir admitted post-match. “We don’t think it’s too significant. We’re proud of his efforts after he got injured and halved some contests and remained in the game and kept working his way through it.
“(We) expect him to play (against GWS).
“Players have played plenty of times after they’ve been subbed out.
“He was carrying his arm around so he’s got an injury. He’s been carrying it for three weeks so he got a stinger on it and couldn’t go on tonight but we think he’ll be alright.”
Longmuir said he would enjoy the win over West Coast before contemplating having both Lobb and fellow big forward Matt Taberner unavailable for the away clash with GWS.
“I’ll worry about that when I get home,” he laughed.
“It’s not ideal and I’d love Lobby to play next week. We haven’t really crossed that bridge yet.
“When you see a player out there carrying their arm, you want to protect them so that’s why we subbed him out.
“He’s a fast healer. He played the week after he hurt it the first time from memory. So fingers crossed he gets up. He doesn’t let on when he brings injuries into games and he pushes through it really well.
“He’s 205cm and we needed to contest forward of the ball.
“I’m really proud of his efforts to keep competing, sometimes with one arm.”
Saint in hot water over bump? | 00:41
The call to sub Lobb out of the contest came with just four minutes remaining when the match was all but won.
“The docs went out and checked him and probably decided that he couldn’t go on anymore,” Longmuir said.
“He battled as well as he could for as long as he could. We needed to get him off for his own welfare from him.”
Lobb’s potential absence could hurt Fremantle’s top four push with Taberner already sidelined. skipper Nat Fyfe is no guarantee to return from his hamstring injury in Round 23 with Longmuir adamant the club would take a cautious approach.
“We don’t need to (bring him straight back), but if he’s fit to play, he’ll put his hand up for selection,” Longmuir said.
“If he’s not declared fit, we’re not going to put him out there and risk him. You injure yourself at this time of year and have a repeat injury to that hammy, then your season’s almost done.”
Longmuir said Fyfe may even go back to the WAFL for a second time this year to build fitness heading into finals.
“If it’s not this week, then we’ve got the bye and a WAFL game in the bye so we’ll look at that,” he said.
ST KILDA‘s Jimmy Webster‘s season is all but over after he injured his hamstring in the loss to Brisbane.
With the Saints now only a mathematical chance of finals, Webster is set for scans in the coming days.
He was subbed out of the loss to Brisbane early and was iced up for the remainder of the clash.
Cunnington emotional after huge return! | 02:47
ADELAIDE forward Shane McAdam is in doubt for this weekend’s Showdown with Port Adelaide.
McAdam was subbed out of the win over North Melbourne with a hamstring complaint.
“Forward Shane McAdam injured his hamstring while leading for the ball in the final quarter and was subbed out of the game,” Crows high performance manager Darren Burgess said.
“He will be assessed in coming days ahead of next week’s Showdown.”
NORTH MELBOURNE are counting the cost of a bruising loss to the Crows, with three players injured and young Paul Curtis now racing to be fit for the final match of the season.
jed anderson suffered concussion and won’t play again this season under the AFL’s protocols.
skipper jack ziebell is also likely done for 2022 after suffering a “significant” shoulder injury.
“It didn’t look great for Ziebs in particular,” coach Leigh Adams said.
“It’s some sort of shoulder injury. I think we all know Jack Ziebell is going to put his body on the line every time.
“I’m not sure if its collarbone or a dislocation but for him to come straight off and get subbed off, it must have been pretty bad. He doesn’t come off unless something is wrong.
“Fingers crossed it’s not too bad but it looks like his season is over.”
Kangaroos miss chance against Crows | 01:34
Jaidyn Stephenson will have to prove his fitness to play again this season after coming off with a back injury.
“Stevo’s had a bit of back issues that can come good pretty quick.”
Adams defended the club’s decision to send Anderson back out into the contest, as he was later ruled out with concussion.
“I haven’t seen the vision yet – I’m comfortable our doctors will have made the right decision,” he said.
“I know he came off with the blood rule and I was told at three quarter time he’d gone into the concussion protocols.”
Adams said the club wouldn’t take any risk with young Curtis after he copped a knock to his shoulder.
“This time of year obviously with one game to go, we won’t take any risk with a young kid like that,” he said.
GWS could be without Lachlan Keeffe after he complained of groin soreness in the loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Caretaker coach Mark McVeigh said the club would take precautions with the veteran.
“We’ll assess Keeffey who complained of a bit of groin soreness. We’ll take precautions there,” he said.
Tanner Bruhn won’t play again this season after entering the AFL’s concussion protocols.
“Tanner Bruhn with the HIA so he’ll enter those protocols which is not ideal for him,” McVeigh said.
the WESTERN BULLDOGS admit skipper Marcus Bontempelli is not fully fit but continues to press on.
“I finished the game off alright didn’t he?” coach Luke Beveridge said.
“He’s struggling a little bit with a niggle or two. I had Marcus and Chrissy Bell in my office yesterday talking through, he’s got a bit of an adductor issue going on.
“Both Marcus and Chris were sure he’d get through the game.
“He’s not 100 per cent. I have pushed through a bit of discomfort today.”
Bulldogs keep finals in sight | 02:53
GEELONG Coach Chris Scott has hinted at resting more players for the final round clash against West Coast.
With top spot assured, the Cats do have one injury concern with Rhys Stanley subbed out of the win over the Gold Coast.
“They tell me he’s got a low grade adductor strain,” Scott said.
“Generally when they say low grade it’s a week or two. It will be unlikely he’ll play next week is the feedback I’ve got but they are not too worried beyond that.”
GOLD COAST coach Stuart Dew says he feels for Sam Day after the forward re-injured his knee.
“Suspected that he’s hurt his meniscus that he’s had repaired last year and it was the same mechanism the way he slid and jammed that joint so we’ve got fingers crossed but unfortunately I think Sam might have hurt his knee which is really unfortunate,” Dew said.
Izak Rankin also remains in doubt for Round 23 after injuring his shoulder.
“He hurt that shoulder a few weeks back… clearly awkward landing/hit and he’s stirred that up,” Dew said.
“We’ll just see how that settles.”
WEST COAST could be without both Nic Naitanui and jamine jones for the trip to Geelong.
Jones was subbed out of the loss to the Dockers with a back issue.
“His back just seized up. We weighed up before the game whether to pull him out … He’s had a big year and carried some injuries. He just couldn’t last,” coach Adam Simpson said.
Simpson also admitted Naitanui was playing through the pain.
“He’s playing because the club needs him,” Simpson said.
A former first-round pick is drawing interest from clubs in his home state of Victoria.
Plus Geelong’s “number one target” in the upcoming trade period revealed.
Get the latest AFL player movement news in Trade Whispers!
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POWER FIRST-ROUND PICK COULD BE HEADING HOME
Miles Bergman is drawing interest from Victorian clubs and veteran SA journalist Michelangelo Rucci believes he will not be at Port Adelaide next year.
The 20-year-old has played seven games this season after featuring 23 times in his 2021 debut season, including playing in both finals.
A first-round pick in 2019, Bergman is contracted for another season but Rucci reported he is drawing interest from teams in his home state.
“We know there’s going to be an enormous trade market, but it’s not just going to be players falling out of contract,” Rucci said on SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“Miles Bergman is under contract until 2023, the end of next season. But he has – what I’ve been told – fair interest from a few Victorian clubs to lure him back to Melbourne.
“He was a first-round draft pick, number 14 for Port Adelaide in 2019, has a Rising Star nomination last year and had a difficult past 12 months with Covid.
“If he gets tempted to move, Port are going to have some interesting talks with clubs about what they want back.
“I don’t think (he will be at Port next year).”
Bergman was the Rising Star nominated in Round 21 last year after being selected with Pick 14 in the 2019 draft, in between Will Day (Hawthorn) and Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs), and just before Mitch Georgiades (Port Adelaide) and Sam De Koning (Geelong).
Best three kicks at goal since Plugger | 00:58
CATS’ NUMBER ONE TARGET REVEALED
Geelong is prioritizing contracted GWS midfielder Jacob Hopper in the upcoming trade period, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.
The Cats are one of a number of clubs showing interest in Hopper, who is among a group of Giants expected to depart the club this off-season.
His midfield mate Tim Taranto has been linked to clubs including Richmond and Collingwood, while the Tigers and Adelaide have interest in Hopper.
The Cats have also been linked to Geelong Falcons product and 2020 first-round pick Tanner Bruhn, but reported Edmund Hopper is their number one target.
“GWS, all bets are off here, they might be the most active in the trade window which we’ve spoken about as they look to balance the books,” he said on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“It’s not an exodus as such, I think it will be really targeted in terms of who they let go and they’ve got some levers to pull here given not all their players are in contract.
“Tanner Bruhn is definitely out, he wants to get back to Victoria only two years after being taken with Pick 12 in the 2020 draft.
“Bobby Hill has wanted a trade since this time last year, and Tim Taranto is out of contract and widely expected to seek a fresh start.
“And then there’s his midfield running mate Jacob Hopper, who’s got a year to run but Geelong have expressed a real interest in him, as well as Jordan De Goey.
“I think Hopper is their number one target there.
“Nick Haynes has been raised, contracted long term, Lachie Whitfield even just around the edges as well as someone who’s locked in for the long term as well.
“So there’s a bit to work out at GWS also with a new coach coming in.”
GWS need to follow Collingwood’s lead and commit to a salary cap dump in a bid to rejuvenate a list that’s missing “an A-grader”, according to journalist Jon Ralph.
The Giants are languishing in 16th position with just five wins for 2022 – with coach Leon Cameron an early casualty.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s On The Couch, Ralph said the GWS salary cap reset was “officially on”, with a host of players set to be put up for trade.
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“I think rather than an exodus of players wanting to flee this club, I think it’s a really calculated decision by this club (that) we need to fix this salary cap issue once and for all,” he said.
“If you are going to do it, over three or four years, do it now with really tough decisions.
“Josh Kelly’s contract hits $1.2m at some stage – it’s back-ended, Nick Haynes next year is on over $800,000 – back-ended. That’s a decision the club’s made, but you can fix it right now.
“The inside mids will depart; Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn, Bobby Hill as a small forward, I think to Collingwood.
“The Giants would love to keep Tim Taranto who can play as a medium forward, but he wants to play as an inside mid but they will not push him out.
“I think if someone wanted to pay Haynes’ salary, I think he’d be available.”
Super Swans clobber sub-par Giants | 01:02
Ralph said rumors of a Lachie Whitfield exit were incorrect, and said Tom Green would remain at the club too.
“Lachie Whitfield will not be part of a trade … he’s had an ankle that’s been so bad since Round 8 he’s needed surgery but he’s battled on,” he said.
“Tom Green, happy, contracted, part of those 14 players (called out by caretaker coach Mark McVeigh) and that brings the speculation that he won’t be there.
Collingwood missed the flag. Two years later, the salary cap exodus. I think it’s taken one more year but they are going to do something about it and it’s going to cause a ripple effect.
“Over a million bucks of cap space over next year and potentially years to come as well.”
GWS Giants press conference | 10:43
Ralph said the exits of Hopper, Bruhn, Hill and Taranto would still leave the Giants with the likes of Stephen Coniglio, Kelly, Green and Whitfield.
And it would free up some space to target an “A-grader” like Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy.
“They’ve got three ruckmen who are probably worth $1 million (combined) – none of them are A-graders,” Ralph said.
“Would you make strong decisions to bring in Brodie Grundy, pay him his $1 million and you’ve got A-graders, difference makers.
“You might create space for the key position forward. It’s not they’ve got too many stars, it’s they are an unbalanced list which is why they want to bring in a key position forward and maybe a ruckman.”
