St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster learns fate for sickening hit that knocked out North Melbourne’s Jy Simpkin

St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster has been handed a monster seven-week suspension for his sickening bump on Jy Simpkin by the AFL Tribunal in Tuesday’s hearing.

In handing down their verdict the Tribunal said Webster’s act was extremely careless.

“The force with which he struck Simpkin’s head was very high, as demonstrated by the manner in which Simpkin’s head recoiled,” they said.

“His execution of the bump was at the highest end of careless. He approached Simpkin at speed, he knew Simpkin was vulnerable and not in a position to protect himself, both his feet left the ground, removing any real prospect of not making high contact with Simpkin.

“We are not satisfied that Webster could not have avoided all contact entirely, or certainly any forceful contact. He could have attempted to smother and conceded this in evidence.”

The ban will see Webster miss all of March and April football but will be in line to return ironically for the Saints clash with North Melbourne on May 4.

The defender’s suspension comes after North Melbourne revealed their co-captain will miss the club’s opening match against GWS, left with his third concussion in 12 months after the blow.

The match review officer wasted little time in sending Webster to the Tribunal on Monday, grading the hit as as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact meaning he faced a ban of at least three weeks.

The first-quarter hit in the pre-season clash between the Saints and Roos sparked mass remonstrations after Webster left his feet to flatten Simpkin as he delivered a ball into the forward 50.

While much of the St Kilda defender’s body hit Simpkin in the shoulder, his arm crunched in Simpkin’s face.

The North Melbourne midfielder looked seriously distressed on the ground as his teammates swarmed around Webster but was able to walk back to the bench after being assessed by medical staff.

Experts including David King and former Collingwood champion and coach Nathan Buckley called for the book to be thrown at Webster, suggesting a ban as high as 10 weeks would be appropriate.

The AFL was seeking an eight-match ban as Webster pleaded guilty but St Kilda said such a ban is “excessive and disproportionate in the circumstances.”

They referenced West Coast’s Andrew Gaff’s infamous strike of Andrew Brayshaw in 2018 which saw him banned for eight weeks for a “behind play, deliberate act that smashed his opponent’s jaw.”

St Kilda said the incident was similar to Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell Pepper’s bump on Adelaide’s Mark Keane which saw the Power star banned for four weeks.

But AFL representative Andrew Woods countered that argument saying Andrew Gaff’s would’ve attracted more significant penalties in the current game and “things have moved on since then.”

In the end, Webster’s acceptance that his act was unacceptable meant he was not given the full eight weeks.

“We are not imposing a sanction on the basis that Webster intended to commit the reportable offence. It is not without significance, Webster pleaded guilty to all aspects, assisted by impressive character evidence from highly regarded individuals,” the Tribunal said.

“He gave evidence, answered all questions asked of him, made no excuses for his conduct, which he himself described as unacceptable.

“In all the circumstances we consider the appropriate sanction as seven matches.”

North Melbourne confirmed Simpkin had returned to the club and that they would be taking a conservative approach to his recovery.

Jy’s health and well-being is our number one priority,” general manager of football Todd Viney said.

“Given Jy’s concussion history, our medical team will take a conservative approach to his management and recovery as per the AFL’s Concussion Protocols.

“Jy came into the club today, he’s doing well and is in good spirits but his official return-to-play timeline is unclear at this point as it depends on his progress.”