Pie Sidebottom bumped for two by AFL MRP

Collingwood’s week has gone from bad to worse after Steele Sidebottom was offered a two-game ban by the AFL match review panel.

Sidebottom was reported for rough conduct on Sydney star Dan Hannebery in the third quarter of the Pies’ shock 80-point loss to the Swans at the SCG on Saturday night.

The MRP assessed Sidebottom’s bump as careless conduct with medium impact to the head, with his existing poor record increasing the penalty to a three-match suspension that comes back to two with an early guilty plea.

With the Pies already bracing themselves for the lengthy absence of Dane Swan to a serious leg injury, Sidebottom will miss games against Richmond and St Kilda if he accepts the finding.

The news was better elsewhere with all other players cited either having match day reports thrown out or receiving fines.

Brisbane’s Mitch Robinson, Adelaide’s Matt Crouch and Fremantle’s Matthew Pavlich are all free to play next week after they had game day charges set aside by the MRP.

Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch and Melbourne’s Jeff Garlett were both charged with striking for clumsy late spoiling attempts but can accept $1000 fines with early pleas.

St Kilda’s Jarryn Geary was charged with rough conduct on Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray but can also accept a $1000 fine.

The MRP will assess any incidents arising out of Easter Monday’s blockbuster between Geelong and Hawthorn on Tuesday.

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