Anyone got a replay? I swear on the night it was a fresh-airy.

Once again it's all a bit Bush league with no actual announcement or apparent process from the NBL. Totally bizarre.

How many games did King Conk get for rearranging Damien Martin's face?

The intention looked there, the connection or harm wasn't. That's an at best 1 game ban

I said it after the Powell incident, anyone who plays against Wortho would want to smack him in the head. He's a niggler and trash talker and is looking for that reaction. Takes a while for our American friends to work that out

There was no footage of the incident because they cut to corner cam for that play.

Childress got one week, for that hit on Wagstaff. surely couldn't have been worse?

But thats because Childress apologised (he hadn't) and because Wagstaff started it (he didn't) and that it was out of character for Childress (it wasn't) and he'd never done anything like that before (he had).

Lol, Wagstaff set a screen that was arguably a foul. No malice. Not even close to an unsportsmanlike. And only arguably a foul- perhaps a slight dip of the shoulder but one that often goes uncalled.

That does not give license to Childress to elbow his throat in mid air. A dangerous act and Childress was lucky to get only one game- the cynic inside wonders if the NBL didn't want their NBA star sitting too long.

I recall seeing the Ferguson incident, there was nothing in it. Would need to see a replay to confirm my recollection but yeah, 2 games is ridiculous based on my memory of it.

Looked like fresh air to me when i saw it live, and also on the replays at the time, LV. Could have probably hit Worthington with a flopping warning for throwing his head back like a soccer player.

The complete lack of transparency is what gets me. By all means, we need to punish dangerous and unsportsmanlike behaviour but the NBL haven't even mentioned this suspension let alone actually communicated the process they go through to determine the punishment, or the reasoning behind the severity of the ban, or any precedents. Probably because there are no precedents or processes and they're just making it up as they go along.

I saw it, and believe me - nothing.

Wortho was frustrated and trying to hit or grapple with anybody nearby and generally being the sort of thuggish prat an old slow player who is getting beaten on the night often is. Wortho stepped up on Ferguson, on an in-bounds I seem to recall - they grappled, as Wortho is wont to do, and Ferguson swung an elbow to brush Worth's arm off and free himself - albeit with some vigour. Not sure if there was any contact. Wortho didn't drop to the floor, so I'd assume not.

All that said, surely if it was suspension material the refs would [should?] have expelled Ferguson at the time. There just wasn't that much in it.

"Wortho was frustrated and trying to hit or grapple with anybody nearby and generally being the sort of thuggish prat an old slow player who is getting beaten on the night often is."

He was doing this when he was a young, quick player!

Being there live it certainly looked like Ferguson threw an elbow but didn't connect. I think the call on the floor was correct, unsportsmanlike and move on.

He did throw an elbow,and luckily for him it only grazed MW. Two seems stiff, but would of been 4 at least if had of connected him flush!

Would have made a lot of people happy if he did connect!

Going by their release the NBL are following a system similar to the AFL's.

The Ferguson graze was deemed intentional, high contact and medium impact. He has been offered a two-match suspension reduced to one if he takes an early plea.

Tai Wesley has been offered one week down to $500 fine for his incident with Jameel McKay.

"Going by their release the NBL are following a system similar to the AFL's."

Except telling people!

How can they say it was high contact and medium impact without conclusive video evidence or talking to Mark Worthington?

There was an incident between Tai Wesley and Jameel McKay?

Yes, and funnily enough it was captured in the clip that the NBL used to award Prather player of the game.

I must've missed it. Will check out the replay- What stage of the game?

Wished it connected, woulda made ESPN Play of the Day.

"Potential NBA Draft Pick knocks out cocky Aussie cold"

The correct call was made on the court and that should've been the end of it. Stupid suspension.

He hasn't been suspended yet BTW, if he doesn't accept the early plea it will go to a tribunal hearing.

"The correct call was made on the court and that should've been the end of it. Stupid suspension."

I don't know if he made contact but he definitely threw a haymaker elbow. I think that goes a bit beyond anything the refs can punish him for.

Wesley-McKay one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm049BF-lTg

From the NBL:

Terrance Ferguson - Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers guard Terrance Ferguson has been charged with striking following the Adelaide 36ers Round 3 game against the Cairns Taipans on Friday 21 October. The incident occurred during the first quarter (1:38) and involved Taipans' player Mark Worthington.

The matter was referred to the NBL Game Review Panel following reports from both the Cairns Taipans and the referees from the game.

The Game Review Panel concluded that the contact was intentional, with medium impact and high contact. The result of which is a base penalty of a two game suspension. Under the NBL Tribunal Guidelines, the player is entitled to an Early Plea reduction. Should the player accept the charge, a one game suspension will be imposed.

Tai Wesley - Melbourne United
Melbourne United forward Tai Wesley has been charged with unreasonable contact with the face during Melbourne United's game against the Perth Wildcats on Sunday 23 October. The incident in question occurred at 3:09 in the fourth quarter with Jameel McKay being the other player involved.

The matter was referred to the NBL Game Review Panel following a report from the Perth Wildcats which included details of the injury sustained by McKay (chipped tooth).

The Game Review Panel classified the act as careless, with high contact and medium impact. The base penalty is a one game suspension. Under the NBL Tribunal Guidelines the player is entitled to an Early Plea reduction which if accepted would result in a $500 fine with no suspension.

Both matters await the reply of the respective clubs by 5:00pm AEDT Wednesday, 26 October. Should the charges be appealed they will be referred to the NBL Tribunal for the final decision.

So the difference in the two acts is that Ferguson's was "intentional" and Wesley's was "careless". That difference may end up resulting in the difference between a 2 match suspension and a $500 fine.

I have to say that Wesley's "hit" on McKay did seem a fair bit more intentional than careless, and if it did result in a chipped tooth, it was obviously a fair crack.

Between McKay and Martin, do the Wildcats players have to pay extra for dental insurance???

No, it's the difference between a 2 match suspension and a 1 match suspension

Or, on early plea it's the difference between a 1 match suspension and a $500 fine

I don't have a problem with the Ferguson decision in isolation, but in comparison with the Wesley decision I do. Anyone watching the ABC would have seen Wesley pelt a basketball in Majok Deng's face because he didn't like him playing full court defence. Watching the video and with his past conduct in mind there is no way the Wesley act was not intentional. He knew what he was doing.

I love LK but these little decisions are where conflict of interest questions get asked. I don't think he was involved in getting Wesley a lighter sentance but it's not a good look.

And re Ferguson, it's a dumb act. He needs to be mentally tougher than that. Do something stupid and face the consequences.

I'm struggling to understand how Ferguson's is "medium impact" when it looked from all angles like a complete airy? That Wesley gets the same when he clearly makes decent contact is a bit of joke, and one being deemed "careless" and the other "intentional" doesn't sit well with me, all bias aside.

Can we retroactively give Wortho a T for flopping?

From watching it from a certain angle at the game, accept the one match ban for an early plea.

Sure, Wortho instituted it, but he has made a career out of it. That's why opposition fans love to hate him so much.

Meh, McKay was allover Welsey, and he threw back his arm. He's been held to account, he'll cop a fine, move on.
If he does it again, presumably the penalty increases?

NB: A chipped tooth doesn't constitute a decent wack. Thuggo Clonkin did the same thing, but much harder, and broke Damo's jaw.

Update:

Melbourne United & Tai Wesley have accepted the charge of "Unreasonable contact with face". The base penalty of 1 Game Suspension has been reduced to a $500.00 fine with an early guilty plea.

You have to look at the whole play phase.
MW bump onto Randle should have been unsportsmanlike.

Not sure how much intent you have when you are getting pushed then slapped in the face. Intentional versus instinctive reaction.

On comparison with Tai Wesley, you have to say both had intent or both were reactions. Either way, not sure how Tai Wesley got a less charge here. Ferguson contact looked feather like compared to Wesleys.

The reaction from Cairns is a big unsportsmanlike. You have MW Laughton, Jawai on your team. That's like floppage or Wagflog complaining about dirty play.

Compare the two, NBL looking after their own team in Melbourne and punishing AdelAide for finding a recruiting deal which they shouldn't have been able to afford. Then when you think of Childress, WTF NBL WTF.

Sounds like we gonna just take one (1) game....

Looking at the replay for the first time, it is mostly just very well sold by Worthington. That said, you can't get away with deliberately swinging an elbow at someone's head just because you are being out-muscled/held. A one match ban is justified.

I assume the difference with the Tai Wesley incident is that Wesley was not looking where he was swinging (and therefore was considered reckless instead of intentional).

The Childress/Conklin incidents of previous years should be ignored as precedents for the embarrassments that they were. So I don't think these incidents have been decided too badly. Just make sure you are consistent with your decision making this year and going forward.

"You have to look at the whole play phase.
MW bump onto Randle should have been unsportsmanlike."

What has that got to do with Ferguson?

"The Childress/Conklin incidents of previous years should be ignored as precedents for the embarrassments that they were. So I don't think these incidents have been decided too badly. Just make sure you are consistent with your decision making this year and going forward."

According to Boti Nagy's blog today, the tribunal process was set up at the start of 2015-16 season, essentially copying the AFL's process (match review committee reviews video, picks out reportable incidents, assesses using standard criteria, makes ambit decision, player/club can reduce penalty with early guilty plea or risk higher penalty if they go to tribunal hearing). He implies that the process has not changed for this season.

If that's right, Ferguson and Wesley have been treated quite differently than standards inferred from last year's decisions (Conklin, Jawai). So does anyone know if there's been any change to tribunal processes from last year?

There might not be any change to the process, but there may well be some improvement in its integrity.

He will be back in America for Xmas
# overrated # dud

The new process was set up in December last year, after the Conklin/Martin and Jawai/Abercrombie incidents.

http://www.nbl.com.au/featured-news/nbl-announces-new-tribunal-process/

Old mate - you're new here? I don't think you know much about basketball. "Dud" Seriously? He's touted as a top 20 NBA pick and according to some probably internet troll the size of a house he's a dud. You've never picked up a basketball without trying to eat it no doubt.