Demon cops ban, tongue lashing

MELBOURNE has accepted a two-game suspension handed to Bernie Vince for striking Adelaide’s Eddie Betts.

The AFL tribunal did not sit last night after all players charged by the match review panel accepted their sanctions.

Vince was banned for elbowing Betts during the first quarter of Saturday night’s game in Darwin.

The incident was classified as intentional conduct with low impact to the head, but the sanction was inflated by Vince’s bad record, including a suspension earlier in the year.

Vince also accepted a $1000 fine for a head-high bump on Richard Douglas.

The former Crow is one of five Demons to be suspended for striking opponents off the ball this season.

“He really does need to smarten himself up,” co-captain Nathan Jones said. “It’s happened too often with him over the past 12-18 months, he’s been (banned) too many times.”

Meanwhile, Brisbane Lion Nick Robertson took a onegame ban for headbutting Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin, as well as a $1500 fine for kneeing Dustin Martin during Sunday’s clash at Etihad Stadium.