Hansen’s return match on delay
Posted by Brent DiamondMay 24. 2012 12:03 pm
NORTH Melbourne’s Lachie Hansen was last night suspended for two matches which effectively became three because of the VFL’s state game against Tasmania on Saturday.
Hansen’s heavy knock on Northern Blues goalsneak Tim Totevski left him severely concussed in the third term of the Werribee and Northern Blues clash at Avalon Airport Oval.
It’s another blow to the Kangaroos after football manager Donald McDonald admitted Hansen was almost certain to return for his first AFL match of the season against the Brisbane Lions this Saturday.
“Lachie’s been in really good form lately he’s had a really tough start to the year through injury,” McDonald said.
“He would have been a huge chance to play senior footy this week. It’s just disappointing for Lach and extremely disappointing for us.”
McDonald said Hansen, who has played 67 AFL games, had been working up to peak fitness and starred in the VFL as a forward for Werribee, kicking 3.4 including the match-winner on Saturday.
McDonald said there was nothing the club could do regarding the VFL’s fixturing.
“That’s just the state of play with the fixturing there’s nothing we can do about that,” McDonald said.
Video evidence was supplied of the hit on Totevski in the third term of the Werribee and Northern Blues clash at Avalon Airport Oval. There was no report made, but the field umpire had made a recommendation for the incident to be looked at on video.
The three man panel decided that Hansen had made forceful contact with Totevski’s head and that there was a “realistic alternative” to making the contact.
Hansen had pleaded not guilty and defended the charge on Totevski.
“I didn’t know what else I could have done really,” Hansen said.
“He’s handballed it right at the last second so I couldn’t run out of the way.”
“I’ve just braced and pretty much gone backwards (from the impact). I definitely didn’t line him up,” he said.
Hansen will now have to wait until at least round 12 against Gold Coast to play his first AFL game of the season.
Hansen’s suspension may open the door for Robbie Tarrant, who kicked four goals for Werribee, to play against the Brisbane Lions this week.
Photo courtesy of kangaroos.com.au
Tags: Lachie Hansen, North Melbourne, Robbie Tarrant, Tim Totevski
Filled under: Clubs, Latest News, North Melbourne, VFL News
