AN AUSSIE RULES player has been suspended for four matches after he was charged with choking an opponent.
Hawthorn defender Brian Lake was found guilty of misconduct and banned following his skirmish with North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie last Friday.
Lake was over Petrie after the two collided and used what commentators described as “remarkably like a sleeper-hold” to keep his opponent on the ground.
In his submission to the AFL tribunal, Lake denied a deliberate choke but said that he had been trying to grab Petrie’s jersey and pled guilty to a lesser charge of aggressive wrestling.
“It’s been a tough couple of days for myself and my family. It’s just great to come here and get my point across on what happened,” he said.
“I respect the jury’s decision on the four weeks.”