JETS coach Ernie Merrick faces an anxious wait after a Football Federation Australia disciplinary and ethics committee deferred judgement on an appeal against a $3000 fine for comments he made about the Video Assistant Referee.
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After two hours of evidence, including a submission by Merrick, the committee, which was chaired by John Marshall SC, said they needed more time to deliberate.
However, they did indicate that if the appeal was dismissed Merrick could have a suspended one-game ban added to the $3000 fine.
Merrick was represented by prominent sports lawyer Darren Kane, who argued that the sanction wasn't commensurate to the offence.
It is believed to be the first time in the A-League that a coach has appealed against a sanction.
Merrick was slugged $3000 for suggesting after the round-16 2-0 loss to Perth, in which there were two contentious decisions, that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) "was having a cup of tea" and that he "didn't have a chance to look at it, he probably fell asleep."
The coach maintains the comments were "tongue in cheek" and far less disparaging than commentary made by some of his contemporaries this season.
