Fremantle’s finals hopes received a boost on Tuesday when West Coast fullback Darren Glass accepted a one-match ban from the AFL Tribunal.
The three-time All-Australian and three-time club champion was offered a one-game suspension by the match review panel on Monday for his heavy bump on Brisbane’s Jonathan Brown.
The high hit was deemed reckless conduct, medium impact and high contact, drawing 325 demerit points and a three-game ban.
But the star defender’s five-year good record and an early guilty plea will reduce the ban to just one match, ruling Glass out of Saturday’s round-19 derby clash with Fremantle in Perth.
Mitch Brown and Jacob Brennan are vying for the vacancy in the Eagles’ defence caused by the suspension of skipper Glass.
West Coast’s Eric Mackenzie is set to play on in-form Dockers’ skipper Matthew Pavlich as the Eagles adjust their defensive tactics with Glass no longer available as a back-up option to double-team Pavlich with Mackenzie.
Ninth-placed Fremantle have a 10-7 win-loss record and trail eighth-placed North Melbourne by less than four per cent with five rounds remaining, making every win vital for the Dockers in their run home.
The fifth-placed Eagles (12-5) have battled a series of injuries to key players all season and are sweating on the fitness of ruckman Dean Cox (ankle) and rover Daniel Kerr (hamstring) for Saturday’s derby.
Mackenzie says he’s confident the Eagles’ defence can cope with the absence of their captain.
“He’s a strong leader down there, so we’ll miss him and his ability to … help everyone else out,” Mackenzie said.
“But we’ve got blokes to come in. We’ve got Browny to come in and a few others who can come in.”
In another boost for Fremantle, North Melbourne small forward Lindsay Thomas has accepted a two-game suspension for engaging in rough conduct against Melbourne’s Daniel Nicholson.
Thomas will miss matches against Western Bulldogs and Essendon, at a time when the Kangaroos already have vice-captain Jack Ziebell on the sidelines serving a four-match ban.
Melbourne’s Neville Jetta has accepted a one-match ban for making forceful front-on contact to Thomas.
The tribunal will not sit on Tuesday night as all players charged have accepted sanctions.
Western Bulldogs fullback Brian Lake has been fined $900 for wrestling St Kilda’s Stephen Milne.
Lake’s teammate Lindsay Gilbee accepted a reprimand and 70.31 points against his future record for striking St Kilda’s Sam Fisher.
Brisbane’s Simon Black accepted a $900 fine for wrestling West Coast’s Scott Selwood who was fined $1800 for wrestling Black.
Adelaide’s Nathan van Berlo has been fined $900 for making negligent contact with umpire Luke Farmer during Saturday’s game against the Cats in Geelong.
