St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has become the latest AFL figurehead to sympathise with Harley Reid after West Coast's No.1 draft pick was stripped of the chance to win the Rising Star award. Reid will miss games against North Melbourne and Essendon either side of West Coast's bye after being slapped with a two-match ban for a dangerous sling tackle.
West Coast challenged the ruling at the AFL Tribunal in a bid to halve the suspension, but were unsuccessful. Reid was the raging-hot favourite to win the Rising Star award, but is now ineligible due to the ban. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
In a twist of fate, St Kilda's Darcy Wilson, who was the one tackled by Reid, is now the third favourite to win the award behind only North Melbourne duo George Wardlaw and Colby McKercher. Western Bulldogs forward Sam Darcy would have been the new favourite, but he is also out of the running after copping a two-match ban. Geelong coach Chris Scott has been among the critics who believe players should still be able to win the award even if they have been suspended.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell believes players should only be ruled out if their suspension was for an intentional act, rather than careless. Lyon's thoughts are along the same path. "The first-year player, fairest bit.
Are you an unfair player if you get a tackle wrong? I don't think you are," Lyon told reporters on Thursday. Reid's stunning debut season has been the talk of the AFL w.
