Carlton coach Michael Voss has been scratching his head all week following the Tribunal hearing for Adam Cerra, while Ben Camporeale's four-game suspension, which was upheld, also puzzled Voss.
Cerra's Tuesday sit-down was the first of its kind, after the former Docker was sanctioned for a fourth time in two years for carelessly coming into contact with an umpire.
The AFL had recently cracked down on the offence due to the large increase in fines handed to players, and notably declared that four or more penalties could result in a Tribunal hearing.
On the evening, the league representative wasn't seeking a match penalty, but merely an increased payment from Cerra, which begged the question of why a hearing was set.
"If that is deemed a careless act ... he'll be off to the Tribunal."
Adam Cerra could be off to the Tribunal for umpire contact, per @cleary_mitch. pic.twitter.com/FbjJwmkr9n
— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 10, 2025
"It was slightly different. The communication is there, but it was an accident in the end. Was it necessary to go to the tribunal?" Voss quizzed.
"Probably not. It could've figured itself out. How to approach that moving forward, it's the first one to go to the tribunal, but I think now, after we've run the process, there's maybe a better way.
"We've still got to be really mindful that the umpires have a job to do as well, and we have to respect that space. I don't think it's a free-for-all; we have to also acknowledge that there is genuine accidental contact."
As for Camporeale's four-match suspension, Voss believes that the contest, which ultimately saw two Brisbane players collide and leave the ground with concussion, was unfortunate, but also a part of the game, saying it was a "football action".
The incident that led to Ben Camporeale's four-match VFL ban for rough conduct ⬇️
(📹 via @AFLcomau) https://t.co/BYfjIsZGIy pic.twitter.com/g5iZmdrXIy
— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 14, 2025
"You can probably ask me about Ben Camporeale getting four weeks, the accidental contact, the nature of that, that motion could happen 100 times in a game, yet at the wrong time, two players come together and we find ourselves an accident like that," Voss continued.
"You have to find what those football actions look like and those non-football actions. He gets four weeks, and Tom Lynch strikes and gets three; it doesn't make sense to me. More work needs to be done. I don't think we can leave that alone."
But with the Tribunal decisions in the rearview mirror, Voss' focus turns to Melbourne, and in particular, star ruckman Max Gawn.
Recently, the Blues have utilised Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning as a ruck duo, albeit the latter is spending more time in the front half to increase the average height inside 50.
"'Pitto' will have his hands full, he's played on him in the past, as has Tom [De Koning], so they'll both have to tackle that at some stage," Voss said.
However, as speculation continues around De Koning's impending contract call as St Kilda circles hard, the Carlton coach has put the talks "to one side", and is focusing on how the tall pair can work in unison on game day.
"We get asked every single week about it, but the only conversations we're having are how do we proactively get the best of Tom and the best of Pitto when they play, and right now, that's going in combination.
"That includes some time forward for both at different stages throughout the game.
"The way that we look at it is that any player who finds themselves in (De Koning's) situation, it's about the role they play in the team and the energy they bring for the team and how they continue to make us better, and that's the only conversation we have between the four walls.
"In time, we'll get what that decision is; we're quite happy with where that is at this point in time, so when we're ready, we'll be ready to deal with it."
Running defender Adam Saad will return to the senior side, as will small forward duo Will White and Francis Evans.
Mitch McGovern (hamstring), Orazio Fantasia (hamstring), and Alex Cincotta will miss time through injury.
