St Kilda forward Dan Butler has had his controversial ban for a dangerous tackle on Sydney's Nick Blakey thrown out by the AFL tribunal.
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But it was a less successful night for Richmond's Rhyan Mansell, who was slapped with a three-game ban for a bump that left Fremantle winger James Aish concussed.
Butler is now free to face his former club Richmond on Saturday, the tribunal finding he hadn't breached his duty of care in his run-down tackle of Blakey last Thursday night.
The Saints livewire told the tribunal he'd tried to roll with the tackle so as not to give away a push in the back free kick and argued he'd had no choice but to tackle as "I don't want to get dropped".
His lawyer said there was no alternative but to tackle and pointed out Butler had released Blakey's arms before he made contact with the ground so he could brace his fall.
Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson agreed and his panel dismissed the charge, finding Butler's momentum made some contact with the ground inevitable.
"He had dropped to the side, had no real power from the commencement of the tackle ... he did not drive Blakey to the ground with his arms," he said.
"Rather, he fell to the ground with Blakey as a result of the momentum of the tackle ... he released Blakey's defensive arm."
AFL counsel Sally Flynn had submitted there were two motions in his tackle - pinning the arms, then driving Blakey to the ground, but Gleeson said the tribunal panel did not agree.
Meanwhile, Richmond's Mansell is out for three weeks after the tribunal found he'd bumped Aish without contesting the football despite his pleas to the contrary.
Mansell argued his eyes were on the football the whole time and he'd made a last-minute decision to brace for impact once he knew Aish would win the loose ball.
He said it wasn't a bump and he couldn't predict where the ball would bounce.
AFL counsel Lisa Hannon said Mansell had "effectively ran through" Aish and his "turn-and-tuck" body motion meant he was no longer contesting the football, an assertion the tribunal agreed with.
The tribunal's decision to free Butler is likely to be met with positivity from the wider AFL community.
Before the hearing Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said he'd be "horrified" if Butler was suspended for the tackle, among a sea of other criticism for the ban.
Later on Tuesday night, Hawthorn captain James Sicily will appear on a rough conduct charge for a dangerous tackle that concussed Brisbane Lions gun Hugh McCluggage.
Australian Associated Press
