North Melbourne defender Jackson Archer has copped a three-game suspension for his controversial collision with Western Bulldog Luke Cleary, in a sickening incident at Marvel Stadium.
But North Melbourne will challenge the verdict at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday.
Archer’s knee struck Cleary in the head as he arrived to contest a loose ball in the final quarter on Saturday night, leaving the Bulldog with a concussion and requiring a stretcher to take him from the field.
Thankfully, the Bulldogs confirmed on Sunday the 23-year old has avoided serious injury in the incident, but will enter the AFL’s mandatory concussion protocols.
Archer’s contact, though, was graded by Match Review Officer Michael Christian as careless with high contact and severe impact, triggering a three-match ban.
Speaking after the match, Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson questioned whether it was Archer who was the victim in the collision, having briefly clutched at his leg afterwards.
“I didn’t know what the free kick was going to be – was it gonna be for too high or was it gonna be for taking the legs out of the opposition?” Clarkson said.
“Unfortunately the young fella’s [Cleary] been injured, but I hope he comes out of it OK.”
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, too, didn’t expect any MRO action against Archer.
“From where I was, it just looked like just a bad crash, and players went hard and Luke’s come off second best,” he said post-match.
Archer will miss matches against Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney unless the Kangaroos successfully overturn the ban.
They will be joined at the Tribunal for Hawthorn, who are challenging the three-match suspension handed to defender Jack Scrimshaw for a clash with Essendon’s Jordan Ridley on Friday night that left the Bomber with a concussion.
The Hawk collected Ridley in the head with a swinging arm while attempting to tackle in the second quarter at the MCG, with Christian grading the incident as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact.
Scrimshaw was himself concussed after a head clash with teammate Josh Battle only minutes later, meaning he will miss the Hawks’ clash with Carlton on Thursday night under the AFL’s concussion protocols regardless of whether his ban is successfully challenged.
Sydney, meanwhile, have elected not to challenge wingman Justin McInerney’s three-match suspension for a bump on Brisbane’s Brandon Starcevich.
The collision, which left Starcevich with a concussion, was graded by the MRO as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact.
