An incident that left Werribee Centrals veteran Matt Miller with three fractures to his jaw has resulted in a six-match suspension for Bell Post Hill midfielder Boe Collins.
In a hearing that lasted just under an hour tonight (Wednesday), the AFL Barwon Tribunal found Collins guilty of rough conduct on Miller during the first quarter of last Saturday’s clash at Myers Reserve.
Collins pleaded not guilty after he was cited by the AFL Barwon Match Review Panel, who assessed the incident as careless conduct, high contact and severe impact before referring it to the tribunal.
The Panther told the three-member tribunal panel of Paul Evans (chair), Rob Sodomaco and Ron Drew that a ball kicked in his direction dropped 15 metres short of where he was on the outer wing.
In his version of events, Collins said: “I just faced the ball and felt contact on my thigh and hip”.
“It was not my aim to bump the player … I turned my body to contest the ball.
Collins said he was confused following the incident, asking the umpire several times, “Did I do anything wrong?”
“In that situation, I’m not sure, honestly, what I could have done,” he said.
The surgical notes submitted to the tribunal revealed Miller remains in hospital, suffered three major fractures to the jaw and has the potential to lose some molars.
The 38-year-old will be on a liquid/puree diet for the next six weeks, will require ongoing treatment and won’t play again in 2024.
Collins’ advocate David McDonald referenced two prior broken jaws suffered by Miller, but the tribunal disregarded that.
Collins, who polled the most votes in the 2021 Whitley Medal count but was ineligible due to suspension, will be sidelined until the Panthers’ Round 11 clash with Thomson.
X: @krockfootball
