North Melbourne defender Jackson Archer has copped a three-game suspension for his controversial collision with Western Bulldog Luke Cleary, in a sickening incident at Marvel Stadium.
Archer’s knee struck Cleary in the head as he arrived to contest a loose ball in the final quarter on Saturday night, leaving the Bulldog with a concussion and requiring a stretcher to take him from the field.
Thankfully, the Bulldogs confirmed on Sunday the 23-year old has avoided serious injury in the incident, but will enter the AFL’s mandatory concussion protocols.
Archer’s contact, though, was graded by Match Review Officer Michael Christian as careless with high contact and severe impact, triggering a three-match ban.
Speaking after the match, Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson questioned whether it was Archer who was the victim in the collision, having briefly clutched at his leg afterwards.
“I didn’t know what the free kick was going to be – was it gonna be for too high or was it gonna be for taking the legs out of the opposition?” Clarkson said.
“Unfortunately the young fella’s [Cleary] been injured, but I hope he comes out of it OK.”
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, too, didn’t expect any MRO action against Archer.
“From where I was, it just looked like just a bad crash, and players went hard and Luke’s come off second best,” he said post-match.
Archer will miss matches against Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney unless the Kangaroos successfully challenge the ban at the AFL Tribunal.
Sydney wingman Justin McInerney has also received a three-match ban for a bump on Brisbane’s Brandon Starcevich.
The collision, which left Starcevich with a concussion, was graded by the MRO as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact.