An AFL tribunal official has disclosed he was left severely shaken and injured following a terrifying car collision, mere hours after being involved in the high-profile Zak Butters tribunal hearing. Jordan Bannister recounted he was fortunate to avoid serious harm when another motorist ran a red light and crashed into his vehicle late at night, resulting in his car being written off.
The Frightening Incident Details
The accident occurred around 9:30pm as Bannister was driving home, only 500 metres from his residence, after a lengthy evening working across multiple tribunal matters. 'I've been in accidents before, had concussions and big hip and shoulders, but nothing has ever rattled me like that,' Bannister stated. 'The car is gone and I've got bad whiplash but it could have been a lot worse.'
Potential Passenger Danger
The former Essendon and Carlton player explained the full force of the impact struck the side of his vehicle, raising grave concerns about what might have transpired if anyone else had been in the car. 'The driver was blaming me but she nearly killed me,' he said. 'I'm glad I had no passengers in the car as they would have been directly hit on that side.'
Police attended the scene and issued a fine to the other driver, with witnesses corroborating Bannister's account of the crash. Despite the collision's severity, Bannister avoided life-threatening injuries but sustained whiplash and significant shock from the incident.
Connection to Controversial Tribunal Proceedings
The crash happened on the same night as the contentious tribunal proceedings involving Zak Butters, which later erupted into a major AFL talking point after the original verdict was overturned on appeal. Bannister was not part of the panel that heard Butters' case, though he had been working on other matters that evening as part of his role in the AFL's disciplinary system.
Scrutiny on Tribunal Process
The tribunal process itself has since come under intense scrutiny, particularly surrounding the conduct of another panel member, Jason Johnson, whose actions during the hearing were found to have contributed to an error of law. Bannister, who is in his third year as a tribunal member and also works as an AFLW umpire, emphasised he takes the role seriously and values the responsibility that accompanies it. 'I take the role really seriously and we all do, being an umpire has helped a lot,' he remarked.
The former midfielder played 67 AFL games across his career and now balances his tribunal duties with family life alongside his wife and two children.
