North Melbourne‘s Jackson Archer and Sydney Swans midfielder Justin McInerney have both received three-match suspensions due to serious collisions that occurred during round one.
Archer was involved in a disturbing clash with Luke Cleary in the final quarter of North Melbourne’s 17.1 (113) to 14.13 (97) loss against the Western Bulldogs.
The 22-year-old rushed in to contest a loose ball but inadvertently struck Cleary in the head while attempting to make a tackle.
The force of the impact resulted in Cleary being knocked unconscious on the field at Marvel Stadium, necessitating a brief pause in play for the club’s medical team to assess the situation.
Play was halted for a short duration before the 23-year-old Bulldog was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital.
Luke Cleary of the Bulldogs is taken from the ground on a stretcher. Getty
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge expressed surprise that the incident was subjected to further scrutiny by the match review officer afterwards.
However, the match review determined that the incident constituted careless conduct with significant impact, resulting in Archer receiving a three-match suspension.
“It was just an unfortunate collision during the game,” Bulldogs coach Alastair Clarkson remarked after the match.
“I hope the young lad is alright.”
The Bulldogs confirmed on Sunday that Cleary has no structural injuries but will be sidelined due to concussion protocols.
North Melbourne has the option to contest the suspension, but if their appeal fails, Archer will miss games until at least their home fixture against Carlton.
Brandon Starcevich of the Lions is helped by medical staff. via Getty Images
On a related note, McInerney is facing suspension due to a heavy hit on Brisbane Lions defender Brandon Starcevich.
The 24-year-old made high contact with Starcevich in the fourth quarter on Saturday, resulting in a concussion for the Lions defender.
This marks the second concussion for Starcevich in just a few months, as he had already been sidelined due to symptoms during the club’s pre-season matches.
Due to the careless nature of the contact, McInerney will miss at least until round six, especially since the Swans have a bye in round three.
In addition to the charge stemming from the Starcevich incident, McInerney was also cited for rough conduct and tripping following the match.
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