Geelong skipper Joel Selwood has been slapped with a one-match ban and Fremantle star Nat Fyfe is still in the running for the Brownlow Medal following the AFL match review panel’s assessment of round 15.
In a busy day for the MRP, Collingwood’s Taylor Adams, Richmond’s Tyrone Vickery and North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie also copped suspensions.
In another twist in the sling tackle debate, Melbourne’s Jeremy Howe was found to have no case to answer for his tackle that saw Essendon’s Alex Browne subbed out with a concussion.
Selwood was charged with engaging in rough conduct for his chicken-wing tackle on North Melbourne’s Sam Wright, which the MRP deemed intentional conduct with medium impact to the body.
Wright did his best to help Selwood out, playing down the seriousness of the incident in an interview on North’s website.
“Looking back over the vision over the last few days, I think it’s been blown out of proportion to tell you the truth,” Wright said.
“He was looking at the umpire the whole time.”
Selwood risks a two-week suspension if he contests the sanction or can miss this week’s match against the Western Bulldogs if he enters an early guilty plea.
Fyfe was also charged with rough conduct after his forearm made contact with Taylor Duryea’s face in the Dockers’ heavy loss to the Hawks in Launceston.
The incident was classified as careless conduct with low impact to the head resulting in a $1500 fine with an early plea as it is his second offence of the season.
A suspension would have seen the raging Brownlow Medal favourite ruled ineligible to win the game’s highest honour, as he was last year when he finished second in the count.
Former Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell courted controversy when he collided with Fyfe in similar fashion to an incident involving Adelaide’s Taylor Walker earlier this season.
Mitchell escaped sanction for his knee to Walker’s thigh but the MRP took a dim view of Sunday’s action, charging the Hawk with kneeing Fyfe, which attracts a $1000 fine with an early plea.
Adams was charged with kneeing Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff, with an existing poor record meaning he cannot reduce the length of his two-match ban with an early plea.
Vickery was charged with engaging in rough conduct after his high block caught Carlton defender Michael Jamison unawares and resulted in him being subbed out.
The action was assessed to be careless conduct with medium impact to the head, which attracts a two-match ban due to his poor record.
Petrie was the only other player to be offered a suspension after the big Roo was charged with striking Geelong’s Andrew Mackie.
He can accept a one-game ban or risk two if he challenges.
St Kilda’s Billy Longer and Sydney’s Jeremy Laidler can accept fines for striking charges.
