AFL superstars Lance Franklin and Trent Cotchin have walked away from possible Match Review Panel Sanctions for off the ball incidents.
Franklin had a forgettable Sunday in Sydney’s third loss of the year when he was outclassed by All-Australian defender Scott Thompson. Buddy was reported after clipping Thompson with a late and high hit in the fourth quarter of North Melbourne’s 91-48 win (4:35 mark of below video).
Cotchin was other big name to escape a MRP sanction after he let frustration get the better of him when he swung and hit Collingwood’s Clinton Young.
Western Bulldog Dale Morris was the only name found guilty of a reportable offence and was handed a one-week suspension for a trip that saw GWS player Will Hoskin-Elliot forced from the ground. The defender’s good record means a two-game ban was reduced to one.
Also making headlines on Monday were comments from Carlton veteran Kade Simpson regarding the return of former Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd.
Turmoil may be just around the corner for the winless Blues and vice-captain Simpson doesn’t believe Judd is the answer.
“He hasn’t actually come up in our meetings at all,” Simpson said of Judd on Monday.
“He’s obviously going to be a handy player when he does come back, but we’re definitely not relying on him.
“He’s not going to be the saviour and the fix.
“It’s not that he’s going to come back and we’re just going to all click.”
Another struggling outfit, the Sydney Swans, are also under the pump.
With just one win in the early goings, the Swans face a difficult task when they host the back in form Dockers on Saturday.
Regarded as a premiership contender heading into 2014, the Swans are down in 13th position and 50 percentage points outside of the top four.
“It is a concern,” Kieran Jack said of the Swans disappointing fourth quarter against the Kangaroos. “It comes down to a will of wanting to win.
“Both teams were tired going into that last quarter, but we still felt confident, but when they kicked a couple it seemed to get away from us.
“That’s disappointing, that’s something we need to rectify and find some answers to pretty quickly.”
The Sydney midfield is producing well below its expected average- Jack, Dan Hannebery, Ryan O’Keefe and Jarrad McVeigh are gathering seven less possession each per contest this season, down from a combined 2013 average of 100 per game between the four.
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