NORTH Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas has accepted a $1,000 sanction for rough conduct against Adelaide's Matthew Jaensch.
The small forward was the first player charged under the new Match Review Panel system after bumping an unsuspecting Jaensch from behind during Sunday's NAB Challenge match in Port Lincoln.
Thomas was the only player charged from the opening weekend of NAB Challenge games.
Click here to read the full MRP statement
The repeat offender sent his opponent to ground after the umpire's whistle had been blown to stop play.
Rough conduct drew a minimum base penalty of a one-match suspension in 2014, but the 27-year-old has escaped with a fine under the revised system, which was finalised at the end of last season.
The incident was classified as intentional conduct with low impact to the body, which draws a $1500 fine. An early plea reduced the penalty to $1000.
The MRP now issues fines instead of one-match suspensions, but a third low-level offence in the same season results in a suspension.
The first round of NAB Challenge matches was also the first sitting of the AFL's new MRP, which includes recently retired players Luke Ball and Brad Sewell, former St Kilda captain Nathan Burke and Collingwood premiership player Michael Christian.
The Panel assessed high contact between North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell and Adelaide forward Tom Lynch, but decided it was caused by circumstances outside Ziebell's control.
Contact between Richmond’s Steven Morris and the Western Bulldogs' Josh Prudden was also looked at but no action was taken, with the Panel also deeming circumstances were outside Morris's control.
