Essendon face the next three rounds without their versatile utility player Nathan Lovett-Murray who was offered a three match suspension by the match review panel for a late head high bump on Richmonds Kane Pettifer.
Other incidents from Saturday nights Dreamtime at the ‘G clash including the reports of Courtenay Dempsey (Essendon) and Mark Coughlan (Richmond) were thrown out.
In other review panel news Jimmy Bartel of Geelong can accept a reprimand and 66 demerit points if he pleads guilty to tripping Bulldog Shaun Higgin. Matthew Stokes also of Geelong can accept a one match ban for striking Liam Picken.
Contact between West Coast’s Daniel Kerr and Collingwood’s Tarkyn Lockyer from Saturday’s game was assessed. The panel said the force of the contact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence.
Contact between the Sydney Swans’ Luke Ablett and Port Adelaide’s Dean Brogan from the third quarter of Sunday’s game was assessed. Ablett gathered possession and made high contact with Brogan as he did so. It was the panel’s view that Ablett had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball.
Contact between Hawthorn’s Beau Muston and Melbourne’s Colin Sylvia from the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game was assessed. The panel said that Muston made high contact with an open hand, in an effort to tap the ball away from the marking player.
No other action was taken for other incidents assessed by the match review panel.
