The AFL wishes to advise the Match Review Panel has reviewed the final match played in round four of the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. The following charges were laid:

Charges Laid:

Sam Menegola, Geelong Cats, has been charged with engaging in rough conduct against Luke Hodge, Hawthorn, during the third quarter of the Round Four match between the Geelong Cats and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Monday April 17, 2017.

In summary, he can accept a one-match sanction with an early plea. 

Based on the available evidence and a medical report from the Hawthorn Football Club, the incident was assessed as careless conduct with medium impact to the head. The incident was classified as a two-match sanction. The player has no applicable record which impacts the penalty. An early plea enables the player to accept a one-match sanction. 

James Parsons, Geelong Cats, has been charged with striking Luke Hodge, Hawthorn, during the fourth quarter of the Round Four match between the Geelong Cats and Hawthorn, played at the MCG on Monday April 17, 2017.

In summary, he can accept a two-match sanction with an early plea. 

Based on the available evidence and a medical report from the Hawthorn Football Club, the incident was assessed as intentional conduct with medium impact to the head. The incident was classified as a three-match sanction. The player has no applicable record which impacts the penalty. An early plea enables the player to accept a two-match sanction. 

Other incidents assessed

Contact between Hawthorn’s Josh Gibson and the Geelong Cats’ Tom Ruggles from the second quarter of Monday’s match was assessed. The panel said that Hawthorn’s Isaac Smith had the ball, with Ruggles on the mark. Smith moved to play on and began to head to his left to move down the ground, with Ruggles seeking to pressure his disposal. Gibson comes from the side to provide a block for his teammate. Gibson makes body to body contact with Ruggles and, in the course of that contact, the players’ heads clash. On the MRP guidelines around rough conduct that covers head clashes, it was the view of the panel that the degree of force in Gibson’s block was not excessive for the situation, the panel’s view was that Ruggles was involved in the play when contact was made by Gibson as he was seeking to pressure Smith, Gibson did not run a long distance to support his team mate and Gibson did not jump or leave the ground to make contact with his Geelong opponent. On consideration of all those factors, the panel’s view was that Gibson’s actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances and no further action was taken.