Port Adelaide defender Dan Houston has received a five-week ban after striking Adelaide Crows star player Izak Rankine in the head, leaving him concussed and stretchered off the field in a medical cart. The incident occurred in the third quarter when Rankine was attempting to mark the ball but was instead knocked out. The horrific incident sparked tensions around the ground as players from both teams began shoving each other in a heated exchange.Houston’s suspension has ended his season and his hopes of playing in a Grand Final if Port Adelaide manages to reach it. The defender has played in many finals and now faces the heartbreaking scenario of missing a Grand Final. Moreover, Port Adelaide initially defended Houston from receiving a long suspension by advocating for a three-match ban.
However, the AFL Match Review Officer graded Houston’s incident as careless conduct, severe impact, and high contact.A Tribunal statement emphasized the reason behind the 27-year-old Power defender’s suspension: “An opposing player has a clear duty of care in these circumstances not to commit an act which can be reasonably foreseen to result in a reported offence.
Houston breached that duty of care, and his breach was significant. He had time to think, he had time to weigh up his options. He had time and the clear opportunity to tackle. He chose to run at speed for several metres and forcefully bumped Rankine. We are satisfied he made forceful contact with Rankine’s upper shoulder and neck. His forceful contact also resulted in Rankine’s head making forceful contact with the ground.”Houston was remorseful for striking Rankine and leaving him concussed, expressing regret for his decision to bump Rankine and apologising for the injury it caused. “I reached out to Izak after the game and apologised. I want to formally apologise again now,” Houston emphasized.Furthermore, Houston provided his perspective on what occurred and led to the incident. “I remember the ball coming in my direction after Keane’s double-fisted spoil. My first thought was to get the ball myself. I recall seeing Rankine when I was within a metre or so of him. I don’t remember making the decision to bump.
It is clear from the film that I did make that decision. I never meant to hurt Izak, let alone concuss him.“I don’t believe I made any contact at all with Izak’s head, neck, or top of his shoulders, but I accept that my bump caused his head to hit the ground, and because of that, this is classified as high contact. At the time, I didn’t see his head hit the ground because I was watching the ball. I don’t know why I didn’t tackle. In the past, this has been my first instinct. I don’t know why I decided to bump because I can’t remember making that decision—it all happened so quickly.”The defender’s time at Port Adelaide is likely over, as the 27-year-old has considered a move back to his home state of Victoria; however, Houston is contracted until the end of 2027.
Featured Image: back in 2018. Photo by Flickerd/CC/ WikimediaCommons. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
