‘Secret weapon’: Blues’ hero who ‘sets players free’ could have another gift to give this year

Carlton’s lawyer is the club’s “September secret weapon”, having won his past six Tribunal cases — and he has a son who is on draft boards.

Leading Melbourne barrister Peter O’Farrell was the man behind Jordan Boyd’s acquittal on Tuesday night and has been the brains behind numerous successful Blues Tribunal hearings in recent years.

O’Farrell has a reputation for getting on the front foot in cases, claiming Richmond’s Rhyan Mansell ducked into Boyd’s hit last Sunday — which the AFL considered “victim blaming”.

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However, while his legal mind is a massive asset for Carlton, O’Farrell’s connection to the AFL runs further than defending the Blues’ misdeeds.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, Herald Sun journalist Sam Landsberger sang the praises of O’Farrell, who seemingly can’t be defeated at the Tribunal.

“He is the man that sets Carlton players free week after week, year after year — he has changed the history books of our game, this man,” Landsberger said with a smirk on Wednesday night.

“(In) 2022, he had Patrick Cripps’ two-match ban for rough conduct overturned at an AFL Appeals Board hearing — Patrick Cripps went on to win the Brownlow Medal that year.

“Without that ruling, Lachie Neale is a three-time Brownlow medallist. It’s an extraordinary strike rate, and this is real. This bloke wins at the Tribunal more than any other QC.

“Last year, he got Jack Martin off to play in a preliminary final. Now, on Tuesday night he took aim at Rhyan Mansell’s character — he said it was his fault.”

Since the Cripps triumph, O’Farrell last year successfully vacated bans for Nic Newman (one match), Harry McKay (one match), Adam Cerra (one match), and Boyd (one match) on Tuesday night. He got Martin’s two-game suspension downgraded to one in late 2023.

“Adam Cerra was a sensational one,” Landsberger continued. “He tackled Tom Hickey to the ground, rough conduct charge, and he said in the hearing ‘disregard the player’s hair, and it should not be factored into the evidence’. The hair evidence helped Cerra play that week.

“(O’Farrell) is a real ace up their sleeve in case something goes amiss in September … he is prone to a marathon hearing.”

However, more extraordinary might be the fact that his son, Harry, is in the frame to get himself on an AFL list.

“The best part about this is he’s not a household name, but he might be next year. His boy, Harry O’Farrell, played for Vic Metro last month, and he’s a real draft chance,” Landsberger said.

“(He’s a) 196-centimetre intercepting defender. I did ask one club today, how high is he on draft boards? He said he’s a real chance, (and) tongue-in-cheek, Carlton is probably obligated to take him.

“No one else (is), given what his (father has) done for the Blues. The family are die-hard Blues fans, so that would be a dream come true if he did land there.”