Goodes' suspension upheld
Adam Goodes has failed in his attempt to challenge a one-match ban for engaging in rough conduct...
ADAM Goodes will have to wait another week to reach his club record 304th game after the Sydney Swans' co-captain's one-match suspension was upheld by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
Goodes challenged his one-match suspension for rough conduct against Port Adelaide's Jacob Surjan, but the tribunal tossed out the challenge, saying Goodes was "negligent".
The decision means he cannot win a third Brownlow Medal in 2012.
Goodes was due to break Michael O'Loughlin's record of 303 games for the club in Sunday's clash with North Melbourne at the SCG. He is now likely to achieve the milestone in the round-five meeting with Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium in Tasmania.
"I'm obviously disappointed [but] I'll move on," Goodes said after the hearing.
"It's disappointing letting the team down but we'll move on and see what happens."
Goodes was charged with a level one rough conduct charge after he slid into a tackle with his legs at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Swans enlisted renowned QC David Galbally as Goodes' representative, and he argued Goodes' action was "unfortunate contact."
He highlighted new vision that showed Goodes and Surjan to be an equal distance away from the ball when they both started to slide into the contest, and Goodes said the ball changed direction and deviated towards the Power defender, giving Surjan an advantage to get to the contest first.
Galbally noted that if Goodes' action was unreasonable, then Surjan's slide could also be viewed in the same way.
But the AFL's legal counsel, Jeff Gleeson SC, said in deciding to slide into a contest, Goodes had breached his duty of care and was negligent of the conduct.
The tribunal took just 10 minutes to deliberate its verdict and throw out Goodes' challenge.
It is the second time the star Swan has been suspended for rough conduct this year. In the NAB Cup Goodes was hit with a one-week ban for sliding feet-first into a contest with Geelong's Taylor Hunt.
Follow Callum Twomey on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.