Three AFL players facing one-game bans

MELBOURNE, April 16 AAP – Western Bulldogs defender Brian Lake and Melbourne co-captain Jack Grimes face one-match AFL suspensions ahead of Sunday’s emotion-charged match between their teams.

The only way the pair would be available for the Demons’ tribute match to their former chairman Jim Stynes is if they make successful trips to the tribunal.

They are the only non-expansion teams without a win after three rounds.

Given the blatant nature of Lake’s incident and the fact he would risk a two-game ban at the tribunal, the Bulldogs will accept his penalty.

The match review panel also handed Sydney co-captain Adam Goodes a one-match ban.

That means unless Goodes beats the charge at the tribunal, he is ineligible to win a third Brownlow Medal this season and also will have to wait an extra week to break Michael O’Loughlin’s club record of 303 games.

Lake was booked in the last term of Saturday night’s loss to St Kilda after he caught Tom Simpkin on the jaw with a left jab.

While it was low contact, he was always facing a suspension for punching an opponent to the face.

Grimes’ suspension was an unwelcome postscript to a bad match for the young Demons skipper.

Apart from suffering a bad loss to Richmond, Grimes was also concussed when he tried to tackle Daniel Jackson.

The match review panel suspended Grimes for rough conduct, after an earlier sling tackle on the same player.

Like Lake, Grimes risks a two-game suspension by challenging the charge.

Goodes was booked on Saturday for rough conduct after an incident involving Port Adelaide’s Jacob Surjan.

They were contesting a ground ball and Goodes slid into Surjan, knees first.

Goodes was also suspended during the pre-season for rough conduct.

He will receive a one-game ban regardless of whether he goes to the tribunal.

Carlton onballer Marc Murphy was fined $900 for an obscene gesture after he “flipped the bird” at the Collingwood cheer squad during Friday night’s big win.

Melbourne onballer Nathan Jones can also accept a $900 penalty for negligent umpire contact.

Publisher: AAPNewswire

16 Apr 10:17 PM