NORTH Melbourne defender Marley Williams will have a delayed start to the season for a high and careless hit on Bulldog Ed Richards in Friday night's Marsh Community Series clash.

The incident was assessed as "careless conduct" with "high impact" and high contact, resulting in a two-game suspension.

Richards (concussion) left the ground after the second-quarter incident and did not return.

The AFL's Match Review Officer, Michael Christian, said Williams had been entitled to bump Richards in the circumstances but had to wear the consequences of hitting his Bulldogs opponent high. 

"You're allowed to bump when the ball's in the vicinity and that was Marley's intention but obviously, when you do elect to bump, you've got to bump fairly," Christian told reporters on Monday afternoon.

"In this particular case, Marley's shoulder made contact with Ed Richards' head and we know the ramifications of that."

Adelaide's Matt Crouch was charged with "engaging in rough conduct" against Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver and accepted a $2000 sanction with an early plea.

Christian said the Crows midfielder was fined, rather than suspended, because the impact of his high hit on Oliver was far less than that of Williams' bump on Richards.  

"Clayton was certainly inconvenienced but was able to get up and play on, which was starkly different to Ed," he said. 

When asked whether Williams' suspension was part of the League's bid to stamp out high bumps, Christian said: "Every incident has its own set of circumstances so I don't want to make broad, general statements but if you elect to bump and you make forceful, high contact then you might be in some trouble."

Brisbane pair Dayne Zorko and Connor McFadyen both received fines.

Zorko was charged with "misconduct" against Port's Kane Farrell and accepted a $2500 sanction with an early plea.

Christian said the fact Zorko's push forced Farrell to collide with a female Brisbane trainer didn't have a significant impact on his penalty. 

"We did get some feedback that (the trainer) was OK but we're looking primarily, under the misconduct provisions, about Dayne's action on the boundary line," he said.

"The Port Adelaide player, Kane Farrell, was uninjured in the incident but under misconduct provisions, there's not a question of impact, it's a question of the action being unacceptable and unsportsmanlike."