A favourable medical report from Brisbane has helped Geelong captain Joel Selwood avoid AFL suspension after his clash with Lions opponent Andrew Raines.
But the Brisbane tagger received a three-match ban after the two players traded blows in the last term of Saturday night’s match at the `Gabba.
Raines’ five-year good record means he can accept a one-match ban with an early plea.
Video footage of their duel showed Selwood collecting Raines high with his left hand and the decision not to suspend the star onballer is a massive win for the Cats.
“After receiving a medical report from Brisbane, it was the view of the panel the force used was below that required to constitute a report,” the match review panel said in their assessment of the incident.
Immediately after that contact, Raines sent Selwood to the ground with his retaliatory blow.
Raines’ contact was ruled as medium impact, high contact and intentional.
The Lion was also cleared for a first-quarter incident where he made high contact with Selwood as the pair went for the ball.
It was a busy Monday for the match review panel, with two investigations coming on top of six charges.
Richmond onballer Daniel Jackson received a one-match suspension after an investigation found he had a case to answer for rough conduct against West Coast opponent Scott Selwood during Sunday’s narrow loss.
Jackson has a poor record and carryover points, meaning he would risk a two-match ban if he went to the tribunal.
As a result of the second investigation, Port Adelaide forward Justin Westhoff was fined $900 for an obscene gesture to Adelaide fans in Sunday’s Showdown match.
St Kilda onballer Leigh Montagna and West Coast full-back Will Schofield can accept two-match bans for striking.
Montagna was penalised for his contact with Melbourne midfielder James Magner, an incident which briefly sent the Demon from the field under the blood rule.
Richmond key forward Jack Riewoldt vomited on the ground after Schofield hit him to the midriff and also had to go off to receive treatment.
Montagna and Schofield risk three-match bans if they challenge their charges.
Western Bulldogs forward Patrick Veszpremi can take a reprimand for an incident involving Greater Western Sydney player Thomas Bugg.
Veszpremi was booked for recklessly making contact with his head and he would risk a one-game suspension by going to the tribunal.
Amid ongoing debate over players sliding into opponents, Adelaide forward Taylor Walker was penalised for his front-on contact with Port Adelaide’s Jacob Surjan.
Walker received a one-match suspension but that is reduced to a reprimand with an early plea.
Gold Coast midfielder Karmichael Hunt escaped penalty for his head-high contact with North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow.