NATIMUK United will be without coach Tim Friend on Saturday after he was suspended by the Horsham District Football Netball League tribunal for conduct unbecoming on Wednesday night.
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Friend received a two-match ban for Facebook comments criticising the league’s punishment of Laharum player Robbie Miller, who was found guilty of racially abusing a Natimuk United player.
Friend made the comments after the tribunal suspended Miller for six weeks, with four weeks of the ban suspended for a year.
The Facebook posts have since been removed from Friend’s account.
Friend was found guilty of conduct unbecoming under AFL Victoria’s cybersafety policy and given the minimum suspension of two weeks allowed by the policy.
He will miss Saturday's game against Edenhope-Apsley and the following game against Taylors Lake.
Friend is still allowed to attend the games and address players in the rooms and from the boundary, but is not allowed to play and will not appear on the team sheet.
He apologised to the league at Wednesday night’s tribunal for his comments, and will submit his apology in writing as part of his sentence.
Friend said he was disappointed to be suspended but accepted the tribunal decision and had to move on.
“The league was upset that I commented on the ruling and had a go at the tribunal,” he said.
“Some people are having a go at me for being a cyber-bully, but I haven’t named anyone and I haven’t bullied anyone. It was only for passing a comment on the ruling.
“It was just bad judgment. You could say I’m out for two weeks with a mouth and foot-related injury.”
Friend said he would use his two-week suspension to prepare for Natimuk United’s final four games of the home-and-away season.
He said he was determined not to let it distract the team.
“I just have to concentrate on my time with the boys, and I’ll freshen up for the last few games,” he said.
Western Vic Football general manager Stephen McQueen said the league was required to investigate Friend’s comments under AFL Victoria policy.
“Comments Tim made on Facebook were forwarded to the league and the league had no alternative but to investigate those comments,” Mr McQueen said.
Natimuk United acting chairman Travis Maybery said the club would not comment on Friend’s suspension.
