Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull chats with Bachar Houli. Credit:Getty Images The tribunal referred to the AFL regulations, which state that it may use "absolute discretion" on a sanction if the player's good record "constitutes exceptional and compelling circumstances". Richmond used quotes from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who spoke glowingly of Houli earlier in the week during a media conference at Punt Road, and also called on media identity and Richmond supporter Waleed Aly – who has known Houli since his time at the Western Jets – to provide a character reference. "The AFL is appealing this decision under Regulation 19.2, on the grounds that, among other things, the sanction imposed by the tribunal was manifestly inadequate," AFL football operations manager Simon Lethlean said on Wednesday. "I want to stress that the AFL takes impact to the head extremely seriously, and this appeal is based on the AFL's view in relation to the sanction imposed and not a judgment on the character evidence or the character of Bachar Houli in general."

Two weeks: Bachar Houli at the tribunal with Richmond football manager Tim Livingston. Credit:Michael Dodge The AFL appeals board will hear the case on Thursday night, after Lethlean chose to exercise new rights to appeal a tribunal case. The AFL will argue that it is manifestly inadequate to suspend a player for less time for a high impact strike to the head than it is to find a player guilty of a lower impact strike. The Appeals Board is chaired by Peter O'Callaghan QC and will on Thursday night include fellow members Brian Collis QC and Michael Green. Lamb was knocked out by the strike to the head and did not take any further part in Sunday's game. He will certainly miss this week's game and Carlton expect he is likely to miss a second match as well.

Any appeal is in the form of challenging an error in the case and is not a re-hearing of the entire case. "It is very rare that we come across an example of such a fine character ... and on that basis it's a two-week penalty," tribunal member Wayne Henwood said on behalf of fellow members Hamish McIntosh and David Neitz. Houli's legal team will argue on appeal that the tribunal has discretion in its penalties in cases of this type and that it was entirely within its scope to offer a two-match penalty. The tribunal had heard persuasive supporting character evidence for Houli. A transcript of the Turnbull's praise for Houli the day before, as he handed over a cheque from the federal government for the Bachar Houli Football Academy and Cup, was read to the tribunal.

Media advocate Aly, AFL diversity manager Ali Fahour and former Port Adelaide premiership coach and Richmond assistant coach Mark Williams all provided character evidence. Houli was deeply remorseful, apologised to Carlton leaders on the ground immediately after the game and contacted Lamb to apologise. The tribunal heard how he was a deeply religious and peaceful man who had done extensive work in the Muslim community through his football academy for Islamic boys and girls and how he had made a significant contribution to breaking down barriers between Muslim and non-Muslim people. The AFL's counsel, Andrew Woods, had argued for a four-match ban for Houli, which he said was the starting point for the tribunal in any case of an intentional strike with high impact to the head. High contact, high impact, and intentional strikes are considered so serious under the AFL's penalty schedule that they are referred directly to the tribunal.

Woods pointed out that a medium-impact strike to the head under the schedule drew a three-match ban so logically any high-impact strike must commence at four matches and work upwards depending on circumstances. The league believes strong character evidence should only mean that the penalty does not move to be greater than four matches, not that it could be cut below that minimum threshold. Loading West Coast's Will Schofield can perhaps also consider himself fortunate to have his suspension overturned. Given that Schofield's case was heard after Houli's, it would have been a strange look for Schofield's suspension to be upheld and therefore be given two weeks – the exact same sanction handed down to Houli only minutes earlier for what appeared to be a far more serious incident.