Docker banned for hit
MICHAEL Christian has continued his tough stance on punching, handing Fremantle’s Michael Walters a onematch ban for a stomach blow.
Match review officer Christian decided Walters’ intentional strike on Adelaide’s Jake Kelly was medium impact, helped by the results of a Crows medical report. But the Docker’s match-day report for a headbutt on Tom Doedee, in his 10 seconds of madness in Sunday’s fourth quarter, was thrown out.
Walters will miss the clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Brisbane Lions defender Luke Hodge was cleared for the bump that concussed Essendon’s Dyson Heppell.
Christian ruled Hodge didn’t have any alternative as he was contesting the ball which spilt free a split-second before he hit Heppell.
Lions defender Harris Andrews was handed a $2000 fine for striking Bomber Mark Baguley in the third quarter.
Gold Coast’s David Swallow and St Kilda’s Jack Steele were fined for careless contact with an umpire. Swallow can accept a $1500 fine for his second such offence this season, Steele $1000 for a first offence.
Christian said in the preseason the message from the AFL was clear: Don’t punch on the football field.
“The first thing to say is the AFL want punching out of the game,” he said. “We will be telling players if you punch and it doesn’t quite get to low impact, potentially you will be fined under misconduct provisions.’’