Dare also received an additional two-week suspended sentence, which will remain in effect until the end of the 2017 season.

The talented ruckman pleaded not guilty to the charge, which related to an incident involving South Warrnambool’s Scott Maddern.

Dare was reported by the goal umpire during the third quarter of last Saturday’s clash at Friendly Societies’ Park.

The umpire told the tribunal he saw Dare running shoulder-to-shoulder with Maddern toward a contest in the Cobden forward line when Dare swung his left arm around, connecting with Maddern’s head.

The umpire said he believed the swing was with a fist.

Maddern, addressing the tribunal via the phone, said he felt what he believed to be a fist hit him in the chin, knocking him to the ground. 

Both the umpire and Maddern stressed the action seemed out-of-character for Dare.

Dare told the tribunal he had attempted to fend Maddern off with an open palm as Maddern was impeding his run towards the contest, with the Cobden coach saying he initially believed he had made contact with Maddern’s shoulder.

Video footage of the incident was shown during the tribunal hearing.

After the hearing, Dare said he was disappointed by the result but “it is what it is”.