Hawk’s double whammy means five-week break

DANIEL Howe can only play again this season if Hawthorn makes the finals.

The AFL tribunal has banned him for three games for a tripping incident that left Carlton’s Zac Fisher with a broken leg. Coupled with his two-game ban for striking Blues opponent Patrick Cripps, Howe will miss the last five games of the regular season.

The Hawks are eighth, but are only .8 per cent ahead of ninth-placed Geelong and have not won consecutive games since Round 14.

“I’m disappointed with the outcome, but I’ve got a good training block ahead of me and hopefully the boys can play finals and I can take part,” Howe said.

“Obviously I have to rein it in. I don’t want to be missing weeks and games of footy, it’s best to be on the field.”

Howe was referred directly to the tribunal, with no option of an early plea, with the trip graded as severe.

Fisher’s season is over because of the fibula fracture in his lower left leg.

Howe pleaded guilty and his advocate Peter O’Farrell unsuccessfully tried to argue the impact was medium or high, not severe. Tribunal advocate Jeff Gleeson said the incident was clearly severe and after deliberating for 20 minutes, the three-man jury agreed.

Brisbane utility Tom Cutler unsuccessfully challenged his rough conduct charge for a clumsy spoiling attempt that concussed Adelaide’s Lachlan Murphy. Cutler will serve a twogame suspension.