Geelong premiership star Mitch Duncan has avoided sanction over a collision that involved in high contact with Robbie Fox and left the Sydney defender nursing a sore head.
The news is not good, however, for Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas and GWS veteran Callan Ward, who have been handed one-match bans by AFL match review officer Michael Christian for rough conduct.
Jonas was involved in a head clash with West Coast’s Jai Culley and was ruled responsible for the incident after electing to bump his opponent.
It was graded careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, leaving Jonas set to miss the Power’s huge date with ladder leaders St Kilda on Friday night.
Ward was cited for his sling tackle on Lachie Neale, whose head bounced into the ground while he was in a vulnerable position.
The incident was graded careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, and Ward is set to miss the Giants’ derby with Sydney on Saturday.
Duncan is free to play against Essendon on Sunday after an unusual incident when Fox ran past a loose ball during Saturday night’s match at GMHBA Stadium.
Duncan braced for contact and made high contact with Fox, but Christian ruled the Geelong midfielder’s actions were not unreasonable.
“Fox approaches from the opposite direction and attempts to knock the ball forward,” the AFL explained in a statement.
“In doing so, Fox runs past the ball and lowers his body position before contact is made with Duncan.
“It is the view of the MRO that Duncan’s actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances. No further action was taken.”
Geelong coach Chris Scott told reporters post-match he expected Duncan to be cleared.
“I looked at it really closely and it’s almost impossible to do anything different to what he did when a player is coming at you at that speed,” Scott said.
“I am not saying Fox deliberately ran past the ball but he ended up past the ball and Mitch has got to protect himself somehow.”
Carlton will contemplate reviewing Harry McKay’s goal-kicking technique after the key forward endured another frustrated and costly outing.
The 2021 Coleman medallist’s method in front of goals was again in the spotlight as the Blues dropped a second-straight match, going down to St Kilda by 22 points.
McKay wasn’t the only culprit for the wayward Blues, but his preference to snap set-shots from long distance was not successful against the Saints.
The giant left-footer missed two snap shots in a minute during a crucial period in the third quarter when Carlton had an opportunity to stay in the contest.
One of McKay’s snaps from close to 50m out came off the side of his boot and failed to register a score.
Carlton coach Michael Voss said the Blues would “possibly” review McKay’s penchant to snap from almost any spot inside-50.
Voss stressed it was not just McKay who needed to be more ruthless when kicking for goal as the Blues finished with 8.12 against the Saints.
“That’s for us to for review and that’d be feedback that he (McKay) needs to evaluate,” Voss said of McKay.
“We need to get better in that area.
“I don’t think that’s just for Harry, that’s for us as a footy team, our front half game, and our efficiency around our front half game needs to improve.”
Blues teammate Charlie Curnow has started the season superbly with 21 goals to be second in the Coleman Medal race, but McKay has kicked just nine in the first six weeks, with four of those coming against struggling North Melbourne.
“I’m not a predictor of his mindset, so you’d have to probably ask him that question, but I think he’s OK,” Voss said when asked about McKay’s confidence around goals.
“We ask the players to be able to look at their technique and how they finish and keep evaluating and have enough humility to know that if it’s not working and what do you need to adjust.
“That’s all I ask the players to do, but then go to work on it.”
Carlton will head to Perth to play struggling West Coast next week placed seventh on the ladder with a 3-1-2 record.
© AAP
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