The crucial cogs of AFL's Round 7: Which players need to be the difference makers?
We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
Two-time Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett junior is set to miss a game through suspension for the first time in his long career after he was offered a one-match ban on Monday.
The AFL’s Match Review Officer Michael Christian announced the decision on Monday afternoon to offer Ablett a one-week suspension for striking Anthony Miles in Geelong’s Round 10 match versus Gold Coast.
Ablett will still have the option of challenging the suspension at the tribunal if hopes to play next week, as he successfully did when offered a ban for Dylan Shiel earlier this month.
If Ablett accepts the suspension – or is unsuccessful at the tribunal – he will miss this Saturday’s match against the Sydney Swans at GMHBA Stadium, which could become a danger match for the Cats if vice-captain Patrick Dangerfield remains also unavailable.
Christian’s view of the incident was that it was intentional conduct with low impact to the head.
If Ablett does take the decision to the tribunal, then arguing the blow was ‘insufficient force’ to be considered a reportable offence would likely be his best chance of getting off.
No other players were suspended from Round 10, though Clayton Oliver, Toby Greene and Luke Dunstan were all given $2000 penalties for striking charges.
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We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
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