Kurt Tippett will face the AFL grievance tribunal - his last shot at becoming a Swan. Source: AdelaideNow
KURT Tippett could face the AFL grievance tribunal early next week in a last-ditch bid to become a Sydney Swan.
League chiefs were yesterday considering a request from the Tippett camp to convene a speedy grievance hearing before Wednesday's delisting deadline.
But it is understood the league is undecided on whether Tippett has a genuine case to activate a grievance hearing.
As revealed in yesterday's Herald Sun, the issue might be forced to the Supreme Court if the AFL stands firm on its initial ruling.
The AFL yesterday confirmed that a grievance had been lodged by Tippett after the league ordered Adelaide to keep him on its list until Friday's AFL Commission meeting.
The Tippett camp hopes the grievance tribunal will rule that he can be delisted, paving the way for him to move to Sydney immediately as a delisted free agent.
Sydney and Tippett have agreed to terms on a four-year $3.5 million deal, despite the controversy.
Adding another level of intrigue is whether Greater Western Sydney will take Tippett ahead of Sydney with the first pick in the pre-season draft.
GWS coach Kevin Sheedy said yesterday if the Giants wanted Tippett he had to go to western Sydney.
``I'm not worried that he wants to go elsewhere,'' Sheedy said. ``When you join the draft, you go where you are selected.''
But there was a growing feeling on the Gold Coast yesterday the Giants might eventually relent.
Sydney coach John Longmire was noncommittal about recruiting Tippett.
``We're obviously still interested in Kurt Tippett coming to the footy club, but because there's a process to go through, things are still up in the air,'' Longmire said.
The AFL Players Association is backing Tippett's bid to become a Swan.
``Effectively he is being penalised before the charges have been heard before the commission,'' AFLPA executive Ian Prendergast said.
``That's unacceptable from a natural justice point of view.''
Scheduling the grievance tribunal hearing in time is complicated because its chair, Jack Rush, QC, recently resigned his post to join the St Kilda board.
Former Supreme Court judge Murray Kellam has been slated as a possible replacement.
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