Fremantle’s Ryan Crowley continues to insist he didn’t pinch North Melbourne star Brent Harvey and says he’s bitterly disappointed that the AFL tribunal didn’t believe him.
Crowley was fined $1200 on Tuesday night after the tribunal jury preferred the evidence of Harvey.
The Kangaroos veteran told the jury that Crowley pinched him repeatedly during Sunday’s game in Perth.
When Crowley’s advocate Seamus Rafferty put it to Harvey that the Dockers tagger didn’t pinch him once, Harvey replied: “You’re right. It didn’t happen once. It happened about 300 times.”
Fremantle have ruled out an appeal but on Wednesday continued to back Crowley, who won their best and fairest award last year.
“We were surprised and disappointed by the outcome last night but all along we have supported Ryan and we will continue to support him,” Dockers football manager Chris Bond said on Wednesday.
Crowley stuck by what he stated to the tribunal.
“I never intentionally, accidentally or in any way pinched Brent Harvey at any stage throughout the game,” he said.