GREATER Western Sydney defender Nicola Barr has been sent directly to the Tribunal after being charged with rough conduct against North Melbourne midfielder Ash Riddell.
Barr bumped Riddell off the ball in the third quarter, with the Roo landing awkwardly on her ankle and not returning.
"It's the first time in my involvement in the MRO that we've sent a case ungraded to the Tribunal," MRO officer Michael Christian told womens.afl.
"We didn't feel the action and impact from Barr was captured accurately by the penalty table and the guidelines.
"It was most appropriate to sent ungraded to the Tribunal so both sides can present their case and a more appropriate penalty can be handed out."
Barr, the 2016 No.1 selection, was also charged with rough conduct against North Melbourne forward Daisy Bateman. She is able to accept a reprimand with an early guilty plea, with the incident was assessed as intentional conduct with low impact to the body.
Two other players were offered a one-match suspension in a fiery second round of the AFLW, with Fremantle's Gabby O'Sullivan and Brisbane's Arianna Clarke potentially set for a week on the sidelines.
O'Sullivan was charged with striking Brisbane defender Shannon Campbell with the incident graded as careless contact with medium impact to the head.
MATCH REVIEW: Gabby O'Sullivan has been charged for striking Brisbane's Shannon Campbell. She can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea #AFLW #foreverfreo pic.twitter.com/xSSoCrJc9O
— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) February 11, 2019
In the same match, Clarke was charged with rough conduct against Docker forward Kellie Gibson. It was classified as careless conduct with medium impact to the head.
Four $400 fines were offered to players, with reprimands available for all incidents if early guilty pleas are taken.
- North Melbourne midfielder Kaitlyn Ashmore has been offered a reprimand for rough conduct against Giants captain Amanda Farrugia (careless conduct with low impact to the head).
- Teammate Tahlia Randall has been offered a reprimand for rough conduct against Giants winger Elle Bennetts (careless conduct with low impact to the head).
- Carlton midfielder Sarah Hosking has been offered a reprimand for rough conduct against Adelaide veteran Courtney Cramey (careless conduct with low impact to the head).
- Brisbane midfielder Paige Parker has been offered a reprimand for rough conduct against Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers (careless conduct with low impact to the head).
Two other incidents were assessed, with a "tangle of legs" between Philipa Seth and Kate McCarthy and a bump between Sarah Hosking and Jess Foley looked at, but given the all clear.
