Farmer: I was standing still and hit from the side

[Brewer]

The original thread must have got out of hand with insults and been deleted - however I think the original point is an important one so I'm reposting it. Hopefully we got all the C-words out of our system first time round.

From http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/afl- ... ches-33996


Baker told the tribunal that Farmer had merely run into the back of him as he stepped into his path to prevent him running into the forward line.

"My intention (in blocking Farmer) was to stay goal side of him and to stop him getting the ball," he said.

However Baker conceded the ball was more than five metres away when he blocked Farmer and conceded his actions warranted a free-kick but not a report.

In contrast Farmer said he was standing watching the play when he felt someone make contact 'to the right hand side of his face.'

But he was unable to tell the tribunal who had made contact with him.

"Basically I was watching the play and the next thing I remember contact was made to my face and then I remember being on the ground on all fours."

Farmer then needed assistance to leave the field and did not play the rest of the game and is in doubt for this week's game against his former club Melbourne.

Fremantle trainer Barry Kirkwood also gave evidence telling the tribunal that Baker ran in from about 20 metres away from Farmer from 'a diagonal direction' and made contact with him.

But he was unable to tell the tribunal what form of contact Baker made because his view at the moment of impact was obscured.

However AFL tribunal counsel Andrew Tinney successfully argued that no matter whether the three-man jury believed Farmer's version of events or Baker's version of events (and in handing down their decision jury chairman Wayne Henwood said they accepted Baker's version) that the contact still equated to rough conduct because it was unnecessary in the circumstances given that it occurred so far off the ball.

The jury agreed and after a deliberation of about 30 minutes found Baker guilty of engaging in rough conduct in a reckless manner.

[St. Luke]

Can anyone seriously believe Bakes will walk away from this Scott-free??? All I can say is it's the AFL's fault there is no video evidence on this, cos if there was there would be "no argument" and "no contesting the penalty". On those grounds alone this entire thing should be thrown out the window.

[OnTheFence]

The inference that Farmer was standing still appears to be filler by the journalist, his actual quote states he was watching the play but nothing about standing still.

Does the standing still bit come from something else said/presented at the tribunal?

[Grimfang]

That was one of the points that Farmer and Kirkwood contradicted each other on. Farmer said he was standing still, Kirkwood said he was moving.

[The_Dud]

so, which one do they send the 15 grand fine to?

[Furphy]

I see the Frockers are bagging Baker on their forum;
http://s14.invisionfree.com/Freo_Fanati ... p?act=site

____________
Chuck Norris, you won't be forgotten!

[St. Luke]

I see the Frockers are bagging Baker on their forum;

I wouldn't want to step foot anywhere near that purple puke! They are 'almost' as feral as their West Coke buddies.

[Eastern]

Brewer !!

It appears that you are being very selective with what you are posting. Either that or you have not been following this case as closely as you might want some of us to believe.

THe tribunal have already determined that the evidence supplied by both Farmer and the Freemantle trainer is NOT credible. That being the case, it matters not what either of them have to say !!

[Saints94]

they really dont have any video evidence of baker crashing in farmers side or back side they should give him 10-15 thousand fine or throw it out ild rather a massive fine then a suspension lets just hope he gets of

[Dan Warna]

interesting how the tribunal found that the trainer and farmer lied in an attempt to stitch baker up...

and still he was found guilty.

baker was guilty of taking advantage of Farmers stupidity.

seriously a guy running in a straight line not looking where he is going, man if thats an offense then 20 people a week will get suspended on every game.

also given how much time was involved baker would have been cacking himself how stupid farmer was.

this is a complete stitch up IMO.

and farmer is a dumbass. 1. to have lied to the tribunal (why wasn't he fined a la Brown?)

[maysiemoo]

Ok, so here's what I want to know..

Does Jeff farmer have no peripheral vision or something?
If he was coming towards the right hand side of his face, he couldn't have been out of sight, as Jeff Farmer NOSE is broken, not his right cheek?

And if Farmer had no idea he was coming, therefore his body should have been relaxed, Shouldn't he have some sort of whip lash?

[Saints94]

well good for him (the bastard)

[Dan Warna]

kirkwood called farmer a liar lol!

[meher baba]

We all know that Farmer has some problems with his behaviour outside of football (and many posters on here clearly think it is reasonable to be highly critical of him in relation to these problems)

However, I think it would be fair to say that he seemed to be a most unwilling participant in this whole business, and the reason that his evidence didn't make much sense probably derived from how much he never wanted to be giving it in the first place.

The club (or the AFL) clearly put pressure on him to give evidence and he wouldn't be in much of a position to stand up to them about anything at all.

This last point makes me wonder: what was in it for Freo to engage in a crusade against Baker about all this anyway? Their team contains several renowned hotheads - one of whom we all know was very lucky to avoid a suspension almost as long as what Baker got - and what Freo have now managed to do is to set a precedent for the future that might come back to bite them big time in the future.

This makes me think that maybe the Fremantle club itself put under pressure by the AFL to take this stand, because the AFL itself was feeling the heat from the crusade undertaken by Tim Lane and others.

Bloody Tim Lane: how sick to death I am of his pompous posturing. I don't care what any of you say about Caroline Wilson, or Mike Sheahan or even Robert Walls: they can all be a bit thick and even malicious at times, but none of them are even remotely as far up themselves as Lane.

[Dan Warna]

well I have a transcript of his evidence and it goes as follows:

Farmers Evidence:

well your honor, I was picking flowers for the handicapped children, while singing love songs to my wife thinking about the lovely time we had drinking home made lemonade (because I didn't want any nasty chemicals in my body, because its like a temple your honor) and I was watching my colleagues and team mates in the distance, thinking about the lovely time we would have in the hospital visiting kids with terminal stupidity and airfix glue addictions later on, when Baker jumped on me, and beat me about the head with a baseball bat, spat at me, and called me funny names I would never repeat in mixed company your honour, and while onthe ground he kicked me repeatedly making racist comments and denigrating the tribunal as a bunch of woosy girls your honor and that is the truth as god himself is a witness, and I swear on my still intact virginity that I tell no lies.

[Saints94]

maybe he should have just got up straight away and then baker wouldnt get a stupid 7 week ban which should be thrown out knowing our tough nut baker he would have gotten back up had a go at farmer= piss weak
and farmer would have got the blame

[Brewer]

Sorry to post and run last night folks.

Eastern, I don't think I'm being selective necessarily, I originally posted the excerpt and the link yesterday while it was all still a bit up in the air about what was going on. The thread apparently got out of hand and got deleted, but along with it the original post which somebody subsequently enquired about. Although Farmer's and Kirkwood's testimony was rejected by the tribunal, I still thought their comments made an interesting read and were relevant to ongoing discussions so I reposted the excerpt (and the link) for anyone who may still have been interested.

Meher Baba, I wasn't actually trying to accuse Farmer of anything either. We all know he initially stated he was knocked senseless and couldn't contribute, I just found it interesting that he would later have some recollection of 'standing watching the play', and apparently to have enough confidence in that version of events to present it to the tribunal. Whether he was coerced, coached or suddenly lucid isn't mine to decide.

I spent all day yesterday at home with the flu and glued to this forum and assorted media to try and make some sense out of what went on, and I posted a couple of tidbits and opinions that I thought were interesting or being missed.

I never attempted to present myself as any sort of unbiased source, on the contrary I am totally biased towards Baker on this issue - not just because he is a Saint, but because as far as I am concerned he is an innocent man that nobody has proven guilty of anything. If Baker had been satisfactorily proven to have been reckless then I would have copped the 7 weeks without complaint. As it stands, the whole thing strikes me as a contrived witch-hunt and should now be thrown out REGARDLESS of any new evidence.

Hope this clears up my motives