MRO hands suspensions to Lions trio following brutal match

Brisbane co-captain Harris Andrews has been issued a three match suspension by the AFL’s Match Review Officer following his hit on Arthur Jones.

During the third quarter of the Lions’ five-point loss to the Western Bulldogs, Jones and Andrews would go up for a marking contest with neither getting the ball.

As both chase to gain the loose ball, the three-time All-Australian would then swing his arm back in an attempt to shepherd the ball.

Instead, the 29-year-old’s elbow would make contact with the small forward’s head, resulting in a concussion.

Jones would not take further part in the match with the MRO determing the high hit was careless and had severe impact.

This would be a sentiment shared by Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph believing it would a three-match suspension for Brisbane’s star defender.

“I think Harris Andrews gets three weeks for that elbow to Arty Jones,” he told SEN’s Point of View with Ox and Harty.

“I know a lot of people will say it was a football accident and there is room for that.

“We saw an accidental knee to the head of Sydney superstar Isaac Heeney on Thursday night.

“But I’d put this way. If he had tried to bump or shepherd Arty Jones and he got him high, he would be responsible for the contact.

“I think it’s a very similar situation where you’ve got a duty of care and it shows a level of intent.”

He’s not the only Lion that was charged by the MRO.

Zac Bailey has been suspended for one game after hitting Michael Sellwood in the back of the head with his elbow after tackling him out of bounds which was deemed to be intentional, high contact, low impact.

Darcy Gardiner has also been also handed down a one match ban for his foreman making careless contact with medium impact onto Aaron Naughton’s head during a marking contest, which prompted a 50-metre penalty during the fourth quarter.

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