Star North Melbourne midfielder Ben Cunnington will head to the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday evening to challenge his one-match suspension for a high bump on Adelaide’s Rory Laird.
The incident in last Sunday’s match at Marvel Stadium which the Crows won by 41 points was assessed as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
If dual club best-and-fairest winner Cunnington is successful in having the ban overturned, he will be free to play in Sunday’s twilight fixture against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
The Kangaroos are the only team still without a win after the opening four rounds of the AFL season.
All other players charged with incidents during round four accepted their sanctions.
Western Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel copped a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Brisbane’s Tom Berry, while Hawthorn key forward Mitchell Lewis also accepted a one-match suspension for striking Fremantle youngster Caleb Serong.
Rookie-listed Rhyan Mansell made an expensive debut for Richmond, being fined a total of $4000 for two separate rough conduct charges in the narrow loss to Port Adelaide.
Zed16
Guest
Totally agree Macca. Gibbons was clearly stunned and went of for HIA. Yet Cunnington for a glancing blow gets cited. No clear standards, no consistency.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
So he should. This was nothing and how it was cited is quite ridiculous.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Compared to the Harbrow hit on Gibbons tis seems incredibly mild.
Shinboner 1971
Roar Rookie
It was the weakest shoulder charge in the history of the AFL, so I’m happy to see North taking it to the tribunal. I don’t think he will get off, even though Laird got up straight away, albeit clutching his knee, because the AFL wants to get rid of the bump.