Melbourne’s Tom Bugg faces the heaviest AFL suspension in more than a year when he fronts the tribunal on Tuesday night.
The Demons forward is widely expected to cop a five or six-game ban for knocking out Sydney defender Callum Mills with a punch.
Mills played no further part in the game after Bugg caught him with a nasty left hook to the chin – well off the ball – in the early minutes of Friday night’s clash at the MCG.
The match review panel referred Bugg directly to the tribunal, classifying it as intentional conduct with high impact to the head.
After 13 rounds without any tribunal hearings, Bugg’s case will be the second in as many weeks.
Richmond defender Bachar Houli was also referred to the tribunal without the option of an early plea last week for the forearm swipe that concussed Carlton opponent Jed Lamb.
The tribunal gave Houli a lenient two-match ban on the basis of his character, but the AFL made an historic appeal and the suspension was doubled.
Bugg’s strike on Mills was widely condemned, with Swans forward Tom Papley describing it as a “dog act”.
It appears certain that Bugg’s penalty will be closer to the six-week suspension handed to Port Adelaide’s Tom Jonas for his brutal hit on West Coast’s Andrew Gaff in round nine last season.
The Bugg incident has also revived debate about whether the AFL should introduce a send-off rule.
Dual Brownlow medallist Chris Judd has led the charge, saying it would be a “travesty” if such an incident had left a team short-handed in a grand final.
AFL operations manager Simon Lethlean has poured cold water on the idea, as did Geelong coach Chris Scott on Monday.
“I think it’s a good debate to have but I suspect that at the end of the day, there won’t be any great need for a send-off rule,” Scott told Fox Footy.
“I think the risk of getting it wrong is just too great.”
Fremantle forward Cam McCarthy and St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster have meanwhile both been offered two-game suspensions for incidents in Sunday’s clash in Perth.
McCarthy was charged with rough conduct for a tackle that left Saints defender Sam Gilbert concussed, while Webster was charged with making “unreasonable and unnecessary” contact to the eye of Nick Suban.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
"I am inevitable" - Thanos, Avengers: Endgame You know that scene at the end of a horror movie where everyone thinks the killer is…
Not often you see Marcus Bontempelli miss a chance like this!
Blues fans were adamant Zac Williams should have received a free kick - but Jason Dunstall and David King weren't impressed with his effort!
Blues fans certainly seemed to be copping a rough run from the umps against Geelong!
"They're not getting a lot of love from the umpires at the moment, the Blues!"
Kicked it like a backman!
