Fremantle skipper wins tribunal challenge, free to play

The Dockers skipper clashed in a marking contest with Port Adelaide's Darcy Byrne-Jones, who was concussed, in Saturday's fixture in Perth.

Pearce's actions were rated by Christian as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.

But the tribunal disagreed, dismissing the charge against the Freo captain.

Pearce told the tribunal he had no choice but to "impact the contest" in the second term of his side's win against Port.

Asked by his counsel Tim Hammond whether he'd have "shirked" by pulling out of the contest, Pearce replied: "Yeah, it would not sit well with me if I was to pull out of that contest and not impact it.

"I wouldn't be overly comfortable in the way that would look and the way my teammates would see that.

"And, to be honest, the way that the broader football public would view me as a footballer if I was to slow momentum and pull out of that contest just because there was going to be impact between two players."

Pearce said he sprinted at full speed to close the space between himself and Byrne-Jones and ideally take a chest mark.

"I'm aware that there is going to be a collision between the two of us," he said.

"At that point, I drop my (left) arm and brace for the impact ... to limit the impact as much as possible.

"I thought I had made a play at the ball ... it felt like it was just a collision in the marking contest."

Pearce said he was disappointed to be penalised a free kick, let alone suspension.

"Given my role as a defender and role as captain of our club, I don't believe that in that situation again I would be able to make a different decision than go at that ball and at that contest 100 per cent and make a play at the ball," he said.

After an hour-long hearing, the three-member tribunal deliberated for about 30 minutes before chair Jeff Gleeson dismissed the charge.

"Pearce's attempt to mark was entirely realistic," Gleeson said.

"If not for Byrne-Jones entering the contest from the opposite direction, he would likely have taken the mark.

"We do not find that this was rough conduct."