AFL News: Challenges galore after week of MRO carnage, Pies fears over Sidebottom injury

Carlton will challenge Adam Cerra’s one match suspension for a dangerous tackle, as off-field upheaval is set to cast a further pall over the struggling club.

And they won’t be the only team to front the Tribunal, with Fremantle’s Jaeger O’Meara and Sydney’s Luke Parker also challenging their bans.

However, Hawthorn captain James Sicily has accepted his one-match suspension for a high bump on St Kilda’s Anthony Caminiti.

Cerra was cited by the match review officer for rough conduct on Sydney ruckman Tom Hickey during the Blues’ deflating loss at the SCG on Friday night.

The 23-year-old put a big tackle on Hickey, slamming him into the turf, with the Swans veteran’s head bouncing off the ground in concerning fashion.

The MRO graded the incident as careless, medium impact and high contact.

The Blues announced on Monday morning they will challenge the ban at the Tribunal, in a bid to free Cerra for Friday night’s clash with the Demons at the MCG.

O’Meara’s rough conduct charge comes for a tackle on Melbourne’s Charlie Spargo which was also rated careless conduct, with medium impact and high contact by Christian.

Sydney co-captain Luke Parker was also offered a one-game suspension for a dangerous tackle of his own against Carlton on Friday night.

Parker drove Sam Walsh into the ground during the third quarter and pinned the Blues star’s arm.

Sydney (5-6) have the bye next week but Parker will miss the Swans’ round 13 clash with St Kilda if he is unable to overturn the decision at the tribunal.

Carlton slumped to a sixth defeat in seven games to have their once-promising season in tatters.

The result was made even worse with captain Patrick Cripps, midfielder George Hewett (concussion), defender Nic Newman (hamstring) and winger Ollie Holands (shoulder) hurting themselves.

Hewett will definitely be sidelined through the AFL’s concussion protocols, while Cripps and Newman will receive scans on their injuries.

Off-field, things are going just as poorly, with board member Craig Mathieson handing in his resignation.

Mathieson, whose uncle, club powerbroker Bruce, has been a fierce public critic of the struggling team in recent weeks, was a notable supporter of president Luke Sayers’ 2021 push to replace the outgoing David Teague with Ross Lyon, who chose to pass over the club.

The resignation reportedly comes after a heated exchange between Mathieson and Sayers in the Carlton rooms following Friday night’s loss to Sydney, according to Channel 7 chief football reporter Tom Browne.

Pies sweating on Sidebottom scans after milestone heartbreak

Collingwood will nervously await scans to determine how long Steele Sidebottom will be sidelined by the knee injury that soured his 300th AFL game and his side’s 35-point win over North Melbourne.

Sidebottom will have scans after suffering a medial collateral ligament injury in his right knee in an awkward tackle on Cameron Zurhaar in the opening 10 minutes at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Collingwood were clearly initially rattled by Sidebottom’s misfortune but were able to keep a gutsy but scrappy North Melbourne at arm’s length to claim a 16.9 (105) to 10.10 (70) win and maintain outright top spot.

The Magpies were celebrating Sidebottom’s milestone and Mason Cox’s 100th game, when the winger felt for his knee and headed straight down the race before being officially substituted out for Will Hoskin-Elliott.

“Well it looks like he’ll miss a few weeks,” coach Craig McRae told reporters. 

“I’m not sure exactly – three to four potentially, he might be back after the bye. I don’t know, we have to get scans and the like. 

“But it’s a shame – we sort of build the whole day up around what it means for him and all of us. 

“And jeez he started well too – he was on fire early.”

Jordan De Goey was at his dynamic best for the Pies, racking up 35 disposals, 10 inside-50s, 589 metres gained and one goal.

“I didn’t want to say anything – I thought, ‘Keep quiet on Jordy because he’s having a ripping season,’” McRae said.

“Today was out of the box.

“The difference between Jordy maybe two or three years ago is his work ethic and his ability now to cover ground.

“You watch how hard he’s running, you watch him get to a contest – and defensively as well, he’s buying right into that.

“That was a pretty special game.”

Nick Daicos collected 32 disposals and seven clearances, wingman Josh Daicos and Brody Mihocek kicked three goals, while Isaac Quaynor intercepted at will.

For North, former No.3 draft pick Will Phillips racked up 29 disposals and five clearances, while Hugh Greenwood (25 touches, 10 clearances) was strong and Nick Larkey finished with five goals.

The Magpies raced away with the first four majors of the game, but the Kangaroos remained in the game for a half.

Collingwood exploded after halftime with a six-goals-to-two third quarter to nudge their lead out to 53 at the final change.

The 17th-placed Kangaroos fought it out with a six-goal last quarter.

Caretaker coach Brett Ratten rued a lack of execution but relished his charges’ effort against the AFL “benchmark” in Collingwood.

“Everybody (thinks it is) doom and gloom because they look at a loss beside your name, but today was a really good step,” he said.

“What we’ve seen over a period now is the performance against Sydney was full of merit and then today wasn’t exactly what we wanted for the four quarters, but jeez there was a bit to take away.”

(AAP)