AFL 2024: Michael Voss defends Sam Walsh after tackle furore
Carlton coach Michael Voss has returned serve at accusations Sam Walsh threw his head into the ground in search of a free kick when Patrick Dangerfield tackled him last week.
Voss said it was “ridiculous” to question Walsh’s integrity over the incident, for which the Geelong captain was initially handed a one-match ban but had it successfully overturned on appeal.
The Blues coach said he had not expected Dangerfield to win his appeal but was more focused on Walsh’s fitness after the first-quarter tackle in his side’s heavy victory over the Cats.
His view on Geelong’s tribunal challenge contrasted starkly with fellow senior coaches Alastair Clarkson, Luke Beveridge and Brad Scott, who all said this week they were pleased to see Dangerfield win his case.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield escaped a ban after he was charged with rough conduct for this tackle on Carlton star Sam Walsh last Friday. Michael Klein Credit: News Corp Australia
“All I’d say is that we’re thankful Sam is OK, he wasn’t concussed, we got to be able to get him for the rest of the game and we get him for this week.
“(The appeal) is the process every club is entitled to run, and they’re obviously going to play that game as hard as they possibly can to get their players out there fit and available and playing.
“It’s probably a little bit different than what we expected, but at the same time the process is there to be followed through on … we’re just thankful that we’ve got a player available as well.”
Voss said he was disappointed to hear commentary that Walsh had feigned his head being thrown forward into the ground while he was tackled.
“I thought that questioned the integrity of Sam Walsh, and it was just a ridiculous comment to make,” he said.
Blues midfielder Adam Cerra is a certain starter against Richmond on Sunday after missing the last five games with a hamstring strain. Michael Klein Credit: News Corp Australia
“I’d be happy enough to have that argument with anyone standing in front of me.”
Voss confirmed Adam Cerra would return from a hamstring injury against Richmond on Sunday but ruled out Jesse Motlop and Marc Pittonet after the duo were named on the extended bench alongside Caleb Marchbank.
Cerra, 24, will play just his seventh game for the season after missing three weeks in April before being struck down two games into his return with successive hamstring strains.
“(Cerra) will play, so the follow-up question is who makes way for him. We might wait a little bit for that but certainly Adam has put a fair bit of work in over the last seven or eight weeks and we’ve probably held that a bit longer than we needed to, to try and get a couple of extra sessions under his belt,” Voss said.
“The fact that we were able to win a few games helps you be a bit more patient when it comes to that. He’s a very important player to us, so we’d like to get him up and going.
“(Motlop) won’t play this week in the team, but he’s certainly playing some better football … there’s a challenge for positions and that’s what we want.”