SOUTH Bendigo coach Brady Childs has been suspended for three matches by the BFNL tribunal for an incident that left Sandhurst’s Lee Coghlan concussed and with a perforated eardrum.
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In his first game back from a knee reconstruction at the QEO last Saturday, Childs was reported by central umpires Geoff Williamson and Tony Keating for “intentionally striking” Coghlan.
Coghlan said he had no recollection of the incident, but that he had suffered a perforated eardrum and was concussed with headaches for two days.
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Coghlan was stretchered off after the incident, of which footage was shown as part of the hour-long hearing at AFLCV headquarters.
In his evidence Childs refuted that the contact was intentional, conceding it was clumsy.
“I have a lot of respect for Lee… he’s not a person I would intentionally strike,” Childs said.
“My intent was to contest the footy and my intention was to tackle… it was clumsy, not intentional.”
Umpire Williamson in his evidence said he was 30 to 35m away with a perfect view and that Childs had no intention to tackle, adding he was immediately concerned by the “horrible noise” made by the contact to Coghlan’s head.
Umpire Keating, who gave his evidence by phone, said Childs “lunged with a swinging arm action and collected the Sandhurst player to the side of the jaw area”, describing the force of the contact as a “seven or eight out of ten”.
Speaking after being found guilty and handed the three-match penalty, Childs said he was disappointed in the outcome and that the Bloods would consider their appeal options.
“I’m disappointed because there’s only one person who knows whether it was intentional or not and that’s me and that’s the evidence that I gave in the hearing,” Childs said.
“I respect Lee as a player and I was just trying to tackle him and unfortunately, he was injured as a result.
“As a club we will look at where we will go from here.”
Childs can continue to coach the Bloods during his suspension.
Coghlan is unsure how many games he will be out for as a result of the incident.
Following this week’s general bye Childs will miss games against Maryborough, Castlemaine and Golden Square.
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