Vickery sent straight to tribunal
Richmond forward Ty Vickery has been sent straight to the AFL Tribunal for the roundhouse fist that floored retiring West Coast ruckman Dean Cox at Patersons Stadium on Friday night.
The match review panel released its findings this afternoon, opting not to offer a ban for the crude second-quarter incident, which left Cox concussed, with Vickery to front the Tribunal tomorrow night.
After receiving a medical report from West Coast and viewing video evidence, the AFL's match review panel assessed the incident as intentional conduct (three points), severe impact (four points) and high contact (two points).
The total of nine points triggers a direct referral to the tribunal.
Vickery has 43.75 carryover points and was suspended for two matches earlier this season for striking North Melbourne's Michael Firrito.
The panel cleared Cox for the elbow to Vickery’s chest that preceded the fist from the much-maligned Tiger, saying the force was below that to constitute a reportable offence.
Cox’s team mates Mark LeCras and Luke Shuey were both fined $900 for misconduct against Vickery in the wake of the incident.
Eagles full forward Josh Kennedy said today there wasn’t much they could do to remonstrate with the Richmond players in the wake of the incident.
“I think it’s a tough one these days - not like the old days I suppose when you could just go back in and have an all-in brawl, but I think the boys responded OK,” he said.
“It was probably more from what we want to do was respond and win the game and win the footy, which we didn’t really do, so it was probably the only thing.”
Kennedy said he saw Cox on Saturday and hoped the veteran would be fit to take on Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
“He’ll go through the normal tests for concussion and all that but hopefully he’ll get up,” he said.
“We’ll have to wait and find that out during the week.”
Kennedy said it was the basics that let them down in their 17-point loss to the Tigers.
“It was probably the wettest game I have ever played in,” he said.
“It just bucketed down here and there.
“But it’s probably no excuse for some of the skill level, the boys winning the footy, I think (Matt Priddis) Pridda led by example.
“He was probably one of the only ones in there winning that footy for us – and it’s something we need to improve on.
“We know there’s a lot of areas we need to improve in.
“Basically the fundamentals of footy – basics we need to get that right.”
Cox admits he's not the "best of mates" with Vickery, but is grateful to receive an apology from the Richmond big man.
The retiring Eagle didn't suffer any structural damage but remains in doubt for Saturday's away clash with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Vickery publicly apologised to Cox on Sunday and he also gave the Eagles legend a telephone call to express his remorse over the incident.
"He tried to ring me a few times," Cox told Perth radio station 6PR on Monday.
"Obviously it was a number I didn't know, so I didn't answer.
"But he kept trying, so I answered and it was Ty.
"He just wanted to personally apologise for the incident and make sure that my family was aware of that as well.
"It was good of him to actually ring and pass on his apology.
"I've been involved in footy for a long period of time and realise things can happen that people don't want to or don't expect to happen.
"It was good to get the call from him. I wouldn't say we're best of mates though."
AFL greats Matthew Lloyd, Tony Shaw and Michael Voss were all critical of Vickery's actions while current players Taylor Walker and Brisbane's Pearce Hanley also expressed their distaste.
Cox said there had been no bad blood between him and Vickery leading into Friday's game.
"I haven't had too much to do with him over my career," Cox said of Vickery, who copped a two-match ban earlier this year for striking North Melbourne's Michael Firrito.
"He didn't mention anything about why the incident happened. And I can't remember anything of it."
