Brisbane coach Michael Voss has backed his team’s aggression against Essendon, despite losing defenders Daniel Merrett and Justin Clarke to AFL suspensions.
The Lions suffered the most at Monday’s match review panel, with Merrett receiving a three-game ban on a rough conduct charge for his sling tackle on Bombers forward Michael Hurley.
Merrett’s poor record means he risks a four-game suspension if he takes the case to the tribunal.
Clarke can accept a one-game ban for charging Elliott Kavanagh, but would also face two matches on the sidelines if he went to the tribunal and lost.
Voss also said on Monday that he was pleased his team had shown a harder edge in the massive upset win over Essendon.
“We want to play that aggressive brand and it’s been missing for a while so to see it again was pleasing,” he said.
“It’s been absent since we stepped on to a plane. The first quarter (in away matches), it’s just disappeared for whatever reason.
“The opposition have been in a position to put a bit on us and we haven’t reacted very well.
“We’d talked about it plenty of times but there’s been nothing which had stopped it from happening but, on the weekend, we put a full stop to it.”
Voss added that fellow backman Matt Maguire will return from injury for Saturday night’s home match against Carlton.
Lions star Simon Black can accept a $900 fine for negligent umpire contact.
The panel also threw out the rough conduct charge against Collingwood ruckman Darren Jolly for his bump on Geelong midfielder Mathew Stokes.
It ruled Jolly was bracing for contact and the majority of the contact was to Stokes’ body.
North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson can accept a reprimand for striking West Coast midfielder Matt Rosa.
Seven players were fined for a melee at halftime in Richmond’s win on Sunday over Melbourne.
If all the players take early pleas, their fines will total $12,900.
Richmond’s Alex Rance can take a $3000 penalty for his third melee offence.
Teammates Tyrone Vickery and Jake King are up for $2100 apiece if they do not contest their reports and Daniel Jackson’s first offence will cost him $1200.
Melbourne onballer Nathan Jones is up for $2100 on his second melee charge, while Jordie McKenzie and Luke Tapscott will be out of pocket $1200 if they accept their first reports.