Fremantle captain Alex Pearce free to play after hefty three-match ban overturned
Updated . First published
Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has had his three-game ban thrown out in a successful trip to the AFL tribunal.
Pearce faced the tribunal after he collected Darcy Byrne-Jones high in the second quarter against Port Adelaide.
With two minutes left until half-time, Port's Rory Atkins kicked inside 50, leaving Byrne-Jones running backwards while Pearce was coming the other way.
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Pearce collected him heavily and Port players took exception with the skipper.
Byrne-Jones was then taken from the ground.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir reacts to Alex Pearce's hit on Darcy Byrne-Jones. Fox Footy
"Just the last split second when you take your eye off the ball you're going to be in trouble. I think originally he was looking for the mark but then you've got to protect yourself and sometimes you come off second best," Adam Simpson said on Fox Footy.
Matthew Pavlich agreed Pearce's eyes were on the ball until late.
"Let's hope he's OK, Byrne-Jones," he added.
At the tribunal, Pearce pleaded not guilty, with the Dockers arguing it wasn't careless conduct.
Pearce said he thought he could take a chest mark but met the contact with his body to try and limit the impact on Byrne-Jones. He admitted at the last split second that he braced for impact.
Counsel for the AFL argued he could've slowed his momentum earlier and not left the ground.
After deliberating, the tribunal found the contact was not rough conduct, supporting Pearce's argument that dropping his arms was an act to try and minimise harm. Pearce's attempt to take the mark was described as entirely realistic.
In that same match, Dockers youngster Cooper Simpson was subbed out of the match in the first quarter.
He appeared to suffer a nasty shoulder injury after coming off second best from a hip and shoulder by Logan Evans.
After the break, Fremantle came out substantially stronger.
By full-time, the Dockers were in front 15.10 (100) to 7.9 (51).
"Perfect night for Fremantle except maybe the Pearce incident," Simpson said.
Murphy Reid kicked four goals for Fremantle while Ollie Wines led the possession count with 33.
