Essendon’s Cooney to front AFL tribunal

Essendon veteran Adam Cooney must front the AFL tribunal after cannoning into GWS midfielder Stephen Coniglio.

Cooney came off the square at a centre bounce and collected Coniglio high in the last quarter of Sunday’s loss.

The match review panel referred the rough conduct charge directly to the tribunal, meaning Cooney cannot take an early plea.

A three-game outcome appears the most likely outcome for Cooney when his case is heard late on Tuesday afternoon.

Cooney was among three players charged after round 19.

West Coast forward Mark LeCras can reduce his AFL suspension with an early plea, even though he has already accepted two match review panel fines this season.

LeCras was charged with rough conduct against James Frawley only a week after he accepted a $1500 fine for the same offence.

In round 14, he took a $1000 fine for striking.

The Frawley bump cost LeCras a two-match suspension, but he can reduce it to one with an early plea.

In the match review panel findings, the LeCras charge said “the player has no applicable bad record”.

Under the AFL’s revamped tribunal system, the two earlier offences have a lesser rating and so they do not impact his penalty for the Frawley bump.

LeCras will automatically receive a one-game ban for the rest of this season if he is booked a third time for a lower-level offence.

If LeCras accepts his one-game ban for the high bump on Hawthorn defender Frawley, he will miss Sunday’s crucial western derby against Fremantle.

Sydney defender Ted Richards can accept a $1000 fine for making forceful front-on contact with Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins.

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