Docker cops three-match ban, Crow Gibbs in clear

FREMANTLE youngster Ryan Nyhuis was suspended for three games after pleading guilty to his rough conduct charge.

Nyhuis knocked out Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray with a dangerous tackle and the tribunal jury took just two minutes to agree on his penalty.

Earlier Adelaide star Bryce Gibbs beat his rough conduct charge, saving himself a $3000 fine.

Gibbs was charged for an incident where he bumped Geelong captain Joel Selwood off the ball during Thursday night’s win over the Cats at Adelaide Oval. The Crows midfielder could have accepted a $2000 fine, but opted to challenge the charge.

Selwood and opponent Riley Knight were jostling when Gibbs laid a block on the Cats skipper.

Selwood went to ground and the Geelong medical report said he had a knock to the jaw, but will not miss any games.

“If I was to bump him, I would have lowered my centre of gravity and there would have been more force,” Gibbs said.

He said it was the sort of incident that happens to him “20 or 30 times” in a match.

Gibbs added he was “a little bit shocked” that Selwood fell to the ground after the contact.

Tribunal advocate Jeff Gleeson argued that Gibbs contributed to the incident. But Gibbs’ advocate Andrew Culshaw said the Crows onballer took a “classic brace position’ for the contact with Selwood. “This doesn’t pass the sniff test … being headbutted on the shoulder isn’t rough conduct,” Culshaw said.

The three-man tribunal jury took more than 10 minutes to find Gibbs not guilty after an hour-long hearing.

HAWTHORN defender James Sicily’s season could be over with scans revealing he has a broken wrist.

The influential backman will miss the next six games after being injured in Hawthorn’s loss to Brisbane on Saturday.

With only six matches remaining before the finals, any return this season by Sicily depends on the Hawks making the playoffs.

Hawthorn are in 10th spot equal with eighth-placed Geelong on points, but trail the Cats on percentage.