PORT Adelaide star Ollie Wines will miss Saturday night's Showdown against bitter rivals Adelaide, having been suspended for breaching the AFL's COVID-19 protocols.
Wines was interviewed by Channel Seven at his house on Wednesday, but the League's strict measures for players include not inviting anybody to visit who doesn't live at their house.
THE FULL INJURY LIST Who is racing the clock?
The 25-year-old was earlier told not to attend the Power's training session on Thursday and will need to clear a COVID-19 test before he is allowed back at club headquarters.
Wines explained his side of the story to the League on Thursday, with the AFL subsequently handing down a one-match ban.
"Although not intentional, I acknowledge this is a breach of the current AFL protocols and I take responsibility for the part I played," Wines said.
"I accept the sanction handed down by the AFL in the circumstances. It serves as a reminder that as AFL players we need to take a leadership position throughout this uncertain period."
However, the former Power skipper will be eligible to play in the reserve side's scratch match against the Crows' reserves team on Saturday afternoon.
The suspension comes after Essendon defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher was also handed a one-game ban for breaching 'living arrangement protocols' on Thursday.
"Ollie conducted an interview yesterday which was done at the front of his house, which the AFL have obviously spoken to us about overnight. They'll want to talk to Ollie at some point during the day. Ollie needs to own the fact that it happened and whatever happens from here will obviously happen," Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies had said earlier on Thursday.
"The protocol is that you shouldn't be inviting people to your home who don't live at your home through this period. Despite the fact that the media organisation didn't go into his house they did interview him at the front of his house and that's a breach.
"It's not a breach of social distancing or anything like that, but it's certainly a breach of what the AFL have put out so far. Ordinarily people shouldn't be inviting people who don't live at their house to their house."
Wines, who managed just 12 games last season and also missed round one, lost his co-captaincy in the off-season. Davies said the bullocking ball-getter was disappointed at the mistake.
"This is an inadvertent thing that's happened, but clearly it's happened. Ollie will own it, as we need to do as a club," he said.
"He's disappointed as is understandable in this situation. No player doesn't want to be training because they've made a mistake like Ollie did yesterday."
