Which AFL players are owed a beer?

Which way to the bar? Chris Judd leaves the AFL tribunal. Source: News Limited

CHRIS Judd needs to start a tab.

That's the main conclusion to draw after Brent Harvey revealed he made good on his promise to buy Joel Selwood a drink following last year's dramatic tribunal hearing.

The drink was payback after the Cats skipper gave evidence that helped Boomer beat a rough conduct charge from their semi-final.

"I felt a trickle. I wasn't sure if it was sweat or blood," Selwood told the hearing last September, adding he could not recall feeling any impact to the head.

The result? Harvey walked free to play in the preliminary final.

Based on that precedent, the Carlton champ could be handing his credit card over the bar.

Chris Judd owes Campbell Brown

Judd, then a West Coast star, was cleared of an ugly eye-gouging charge in 2007 due in large part to evidence from the alleged victim, who was then playing for Hawthorn.

Brown later admitted in a TV interview he lied to get Judd off.

"He obviously wanted to get off, I wanted him to get off, everyone wanted him to get off," Brown told On The Couch. "I tried to do the right thing, which I think all players should try and do. We don't want to see a player get rubbed out."

The AFL didn't see it that way, fining Brown $15,000.

Campbell Brown cops a poke in the eye. Source: News Limited

Chris Judd owes Matthew Pavlich

In 2010 Judd again escaped suspension when the match review panel ruled an elbow to Matthew Pavlich's face was below the force required for a reportable offence, despite Pavlich requiring five staples to close the wound.

We're not sure if Pav gave evidence that helped clear Judd but given the Carlton skipper went on to win the Brownlow a few weeks later, he can shout a beer for the Dockers champ.

Gary Ablett owes Liam Picken

Brownlow eligibility was in the headlines again last year when Gary Ablett came under scrutiny for elbowing Bulldogs tagger Liam Picken with grainy footage appearing to show contact to the head of the Bulldogs tagger.

As the footy world sweated on the outcome, Picken told the MRP he felt contact to the body. Ablett was cleared and punters (and SuperCoach players) breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Six weeks later Brent Macaffer drove Ablett's shoulder into the ground, ending his season and his Brownlow dream (just).

Gary Ablett had a tough day against Liam Picken. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Corp Australia

Steve Johnson owes Scott Thompson

Maybe Selwood's act of sportsmanship was payback itself for a similar act by North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson a month earlier.

Steve Johnson beat a kneeing charge after Thompson revealed he was playing with a guard to protect a broken rib, which explained his exaggerated reaction to contact from the Geelong star.

"I didn't think it was much force, but obviously got the spot where my previous injury was," Thompson said.

Johnson, facing the tribunal for the 16th time, beat a two-match ban and walked from AFL House a free man.

Paul Van der Haar owes Dermott Brereton a beer (maybe)

Turning back the clock, the high-flying Essendon forward might find it in his heart to thank Dermie for helping him beat a striking charge in 1989 — but if he doesn't, that's fair enough too.

Vander was originally suspended for three weeks for striking Hawthorn ruckman Greg Dear in the second semi-final, but the ban was overturned because Van Der Haar was still feeling the effects of being smashed into next week by a vicious Brereton bump 90 seconds earlier.

The big Bomber was cleared by the tribunal but missed the preliminary final anyway with concussion. Essendon lost that game, setting up arguably the greatest Grand Final of all time — one in which Brereton would again play a central role.

A relieved Paul Vander Haar with coach Kevin Sheedy at the tribunal in 1989. Source: Supplied