Brayden Maynard’s acquittal was a heinous miscarriage of justice by a King's Counsel that absolutely should have gone to appeal.
Maynard weaponised his body crashing into Brayshaw's head at a 45° angle with his shoulder and elbow tucked into his body whilst maintaining eye-contact with Brayshaw's head.
Maynard’s first action was smothering with arms outstretched to spoil Brayshaw’s kick.
Maynard’s second action was bumping Brayshaw head-high with his shoulder and elbow tucked into the body, causing serious injury.
If a player jumps off the ground front-on to smother, and then braces and bumps the kicker head-high resulting in serious injury, then the act of smothering is careless.
AFL Law states players can be reported for: "(vi) bumping or making forceful contact to an opponent from front-on when that Player has their head down over the football" .
The act of kicking clearly comes under this provision.
An aggravating factor in this case is the career-ending and life-threatening potential that front-on hip-and-shoulders pose.
Not only was Maynard let off, but there is no deterrence for players from front-on smothers that risk serious injury.
The verdict shows that the AFL is not taking reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of players.
Additionally, the fact Michael Christian, the current Match Review Officer threatened to resign if Maynard was charged shows the spectre of Eddie McGuire still hangs over the AFL like Donald Trump in US politics.
ROTTEN TO THE CORE.