Junee coach Isaac Cooper will serve a two-week suspension for allegedly bringing the game into disrepute via social media.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cooper pleaded guilty, and submitted a letter of apology, preventing a tribunal hearing, and minimising his sentence.
“He identified very early on that he had done the wrong thing,” Football Wagga disciplinary officer Mark Stephens said.
When Junee Jaguars were made aware that Cooper had been charged on September 16, they banned Cooper from corresponding with the media, until the matter was resolved.
Football Wagga banned Cooper from the grand final at Equex on September 17 and 18.
He wasn’t going to play or coach in the grand final, his teams didn’t qualify, but he had planned on attending as a spectator.
The Wagga-famous Twitter thread criticised Football Wagga for its alcohol-free policy on grand final day.
Meanwhile, Football Wagga issued two total suspensions at the tribunal on Friday.
Two spectators dismissed from the Pascoe Cup preliminary final, Ralph Corby and Peter Burdett, were found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute.
For failing to obey a match official’s directive, Corby and Burdett have been banned from coaching, refereeing, spectating, administrating and playing locally for a minimum of six weeks.
The suspension starts on April 1 next year. Both pleaded not guilty.
In the incident, which occurred during the match between Cootamundra and Tolland Wolves, linesman Fiona McKenzie alleged she copped abuse from the spectator during the early stages of the game at Cootamundra’s O’Connor Park.
The centre referee stopped the match 30 minutes in, and asked Corby and Burdett to leave.
Corby, who was seated at least 10 metres away from McKenzie, admitted to commenting on her decision not to call a Tolland player offside, which led to the first goal of the game.
“I said, ‘that was a bad decision’,” Corby told Fairfax Media earlier this month.
Corby said he and Burdett then left the ground.
Earlier this month, Corby told Fairfax Media he thought the referee’s decision was too harsh.
The Cootamundra local, and strong supporter of the game, was devastated; he wanted to stay and watch his team fight for a position in the premiership match.
The Strikers made the grand final, but lost to Lake Albert 3-1.