Sturt’s Byron Sumner outed for six weeks for striking in trial against West Adelaide

STURT will be without Byron Sumner until at least round eight after he copped a lengthy suspension for striking Izak Rankine and Daniel Webb in the trial against West Adelaide last week.

Sturt's Byron Sumner. Picture Dean Martin

STURT’S Byron Sumner will not be eligible to front until the round eight clash against Glenelg after being banned for six weeks.

Sumner was initially suspended for three matches for striking Izak Rankine in the trial against West Adelaide last week and another two weeks for striking Daniel Webb.

However, he was outed for another four weeks for striking Webb after the SANFL review panel studied another incident.

Sumner’s suspension was then cut to six weeks after an early guilty plea to all three charges.

The Double Blues have a bye in round five, meaning Sumner will miss at least the first seven rounds.

The Double Blues will also be without gun midfielder Aidan Riley for three weeks because of a hamstring injury.

The Bloods have lost Rankine for three weeks after he was suspended for striking Sumner and Tom Harms. Key Bloods Kaine Stevens and Errin Wasley-Black were suspended following incidents in a trial the previous week and will miss the season opener against Woodville-West Torrens at Richmond Oval on Friday.