Matt Crouch spared by MRO for high hit on Clayton Oliver in round one of Marsh Community Series

The AFL’s Match Review Officer has handed down his verdict for Matt Crouch’s bump on Clayton Oliver during Adelaide’s 33-point loss to Melbourne. And it’s a good one for the Crows.

Matt Crouch of the Crows handballs from Luke Jackson of the Demons during the AFL Marsh Community Series pre-season match between the Melbourne Demons and Adelaide Crows at Casey Fields in Melbourne, Saturday, February 22, 2020. (AAP Image/Michael Dodge)

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Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch has escaped a suspension for his high bump on Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver in the Crows’ opening pre-season game.

The Crows were made to sweat on whether the prolific on-baller would play in Matthew Nicks’ first competitive game as Adelaide coach next month after the third-quarter incident on Saturday at Casey Fields.

Oliver was subject to a bump off the ball from Crouch after a handball to Demons teammate Christian Petrecca.

The Demons midfielder played out the rest of the match, but Crouch was charged by the AFL Match Review Officer over the hit.

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Matt Crouch wraps up Clayton Oliver during the weekend’s Marsh Series game at Casey Fields. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Commentating on the match for Fox Footy, Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall said if Crouch was going to bump Oliver then he needed to get low.

“(He’s) lifted the shoulder and he’s caught him on the point,” he said.

But the MRO found despite it being rough conduct and “careless”, the incident was assessed as “low impact and high contact”.

With an early plea, the 24-year-old can accept a $2000 fine.

Adelaide lost by 33 points in Nicks’ first game as senior coach, applying pressure but lacking polish at times to match.

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The Crows’ next Marsh Series game is against the Gold Coast Suns at Noarlunga Oval next week.

On Saturday, Adelaide and Port Adelaide will clash in an Under 23 Showdown at Thebarton Oval.

Meanwhile, North Melbourne’s Marley Williams has been offered a two-game ban for a head-high bump and Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko, teammate Connor McFadyen have been offered fines after being cited for weekend incidents.

Match Review Officer Michael Christian’s ruling on Williams’ contact on Western Bulldog Ed Richards could set a season-long precedent for high bumps.

Williams was reported on the spot.

Christian graded his contact on the Bulldogs utility as careless with high impact and high contact, resulting in a two-match suspension.

Zorko pushed Port Adelaide’s Kane Farrell near the boundary line, with the Power small forward colliding with a Brisbane trainer in front of the bench.

The incident was a fourth misconduct offence for Zorko, leading to a maximum $4000 fine.

Brisbane’s Connor McFadyen was also cited for rough conduct against Port’s Dan Houston in their Moreton Bay pre-season game.

Christian rated McFayden’s contact as careless, low impact and high contact, resulting in a $3000 fine, reduced to $2000 with an early guilty plea.