North Melbourne key forward Drew Petrie has avoided a suspension despite pleading guilty to a misconduct charge at the AFL tribunal.
The match review panel (MRP) had booked Petrie for making unnecessary and unreasonable contact to Hawthorn defender Lake’s face during the third term on Friday night at Etihad Stadium.
Petrie had been offered the chance to accept a penalty of 93.75 carryover points with an early guilty plea. But instead the player chose to plead guilty but ask that the jury find that he acted in self-defence and the carryover-points penalty should be thrown out.
Petrie had risked a one-game ban but he successfully argued he was in a potentially dangerous position with Lake lying on top of him and he simply pushed upwards to get his opponent off him.
“I think my hand was on his face for about two seconds. As soon as I realised I’d made contact with his face, I pulled my hand away,” Petrie said.
“If I let him lie on my face like that, it’s a position you don’t want to be in for too long.”
The jury deliberated for just three minutes before finding a reprimand with no carryover points was an appropriate penalty.
North coach Brad Scott had said he was flabbergasted that Petrie was charged.
Lake threw Petrie to the ground and grabbed his throat as they wrestled.
Petrie then grabbed at the Hawthorn defender’s face as he struggled to break free.
“I’d ask any reasonable person to suggest what Drew should have done in that situation,” Scott told the Seven Network’s Talking Footy.
The MRP also charged Lake with misconduct over the incident and referred him straight to the tribunal.
Lake’s case was to be heard later on Tuesday night.
Essendon acting captain Brendon Goddard, Brisbane midfielder Tom Rockliff and West Coast key forward Josh Kennedy have accepted one-game suspensions.
North Melbourne youngster Luke McDonald, Greater Western Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford and Gold Coast defender Rory Thompson took reprimands, while Brisbane’s Claye Beams received a fine.