The Brisbane Lions and GWS are appealing the three-match bans handed down to Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedford for tackles resulting in concussion.
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On a marathon night at the tribunal on Tuesday, Giants tagger Bedford and star Lions forward Charlie Cameron were unsuccessful in overturning their respective rough conduct charges.
Both clubs on Wednesday confirmed they will head to the AFL appeals board to challenge the suspensions.
During both hearings, the AFL's lawyer Lisa Hannon argued Cameron and Bedford should have released the arms of their opponents and been more careful when tackling.
"The fact Cameron's foot may've become entangled with Duggan's was entirely foreseeable and not an exceptional circumstance in a close up tackle," said Hannon, who also told Bedford he should have acted in similar fashion.
GWS's legal representative Anais d'Arville was scathing of the AFL's arguments.
"Bedford was faced with the choice of tackling in the manner he did or not tackling at all," d'Arville said.
Given the strong reaction from past and current players to the bans, both clubs were always likely to give serious consideration to contesting.
Just last week, Sydney unsuccessfully appealed against Swans star Isaac Heeney's one-game striking ban that ruled him out of Brownlow Medal contention.
Cameron's Lions teammate Josh Dunkley and Bedford's Giants captain Toby Greene both expressed their bewilderment at the respective suspensions.
"When I first saw it, I was standing next to (Richmond's) Nathan Broad and having a discussion about it, we saw the replay and thought if Tim's concussed then they might give it a week and then you'd probably challenge it," Greene told Fox Footy on Tuesday night.
"'Once he got three weeks, it doesn't seem right to me, he's making a legitimate play.
"I feel like this is overstepping the mark.
"This is a tackle that you're going to see in AFL footy for the next 50 years.
"If you eradicate this, you're just going to have to tackle standing up."
Under AFL rules, the Lions and GWS could argue there was an error of law during the tribunal hearing, that the decision was unreasonable or that the classification of the offence or sanction imposed were manifestly excessive.
Cameron is slated to miss crucial games against ladder-leaders Sydney, Gold Coast and St Kilda as last year's grand finalists, who have won six-straight games, surge to try and secure a top-four berth.
Unless his appeal is successful, Bedford will sit out GWS's matches against Gold Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn.
Australian Associated Press
