HAWTHORN midfielder Daniel Howe has been charged with kneeing Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury but can escape with a fine.
In the second quarter of the Hawks' thrilling win at the MCG on Friday night, the pair were wrestling with Pendlebury on top of a grounded Howe when the Hawk raised his knee and caught the star Pie in the face.
Pendlebury recoiled upon contact before being dragged away by one of Howe's teammates.
The AFL's Match Review Officer, Michael Christian, assessed the act as careless conduct with low impact. The incident was classified as a $3000 fine as a first offence, but Howe can accept a $2000 sanction with an early plea.
