St Mary’s will be without Ryan Pendlebury until the closing weeks of the GFNL home-and-away season, despite a suspension linked to breaches of player payment rules during his time at a club in country Victoria being reduced.
Pendlebury appealed a seven-match ban handed down by the Goulburn Murray Tribunal earlier this month on a charge of bringing the game into disrepute arising from his time as playing coach of Goulburn Valley League club Euroa.
K rock Football understands Pendlebury is adamant he did not breach any player payment rules.
The Saints’ playing assistant coach faced a hearing at AFL House last night, where he was represented by leading former AFL advocate Iain Findlay.
The guilty finding against Pendlebury was not overturned, but his sanction was reduced to five matches.
“Although the finding of guilt was not overturned last night, St Mary’s were successful in having Ryan’s suspension reduced to five weeks after the appeal panel found the penalty imposed by the Goulburn Murray Tribunal was manifestly excessive,” a statement from the Saints said.
After missing last week’s win over Leopold while awaiting the appeal to be heard, Pendlebury now has four matches to serve of the ban.
He will be free to return for the Saints’ Round 16 match-up with South Barwon.
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