Lindsay Thomas will miss two games for bump on Scott Selwood, say ex-MRP members
LINDSAY Thomas is facing no more than two weeks on the sidelines for the high bump that flattened Geelong’s Scott Selwood, according to two former MRP members. Plus, is there trouble for Joel Selwood?
Port Adelaide
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LINDSAY Thomas is facing no more than two weeks on the sidelines for his high bump which flattened Geelong’s Scott Selwood on Saturday night, according to former match review panel members Jimmy Bartel and Daniel Harford.
The Port Adelaide forward, in his first game for the club, was reported after cleaning up Selwood in the second quarter, which left the Cats concussed and unable to take any further part in the match.
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The Cats said on Sunday Selwood was “a bit worse for wear” after Thomas ran past the ball to concuss him with a hip-and-shoulder.
Bartel and Harford both agree the Thomas incident will be assessed as rough conduct that was careless with high contact and high impact based on match review officer Michael Christian’s past adjudications.
Bartel said although Thomas intended to “take Selwood out” after running past the ball, the act would be graded as careless and not deliberate under the current guidelines.
“He was so lucky that more damage wasn’t done,” Bartel said on 3AW.
“Michael Christian often grades things where you bump as careless because he says you’re still entitled to bump.
“The big thing for him I reckon is going to decide if it was intentional or careless.
“(But) if Michael Christian’s to be consistent ... he has to grade it careless.
“I’m not saying it’s right but ... he’s said you’re allowed to bump, that’s all it can be.”
Harford said the extent of Selwood’s injury also meant the bump didn’t meet the criteria to be classified as severe impact.
“You have to work with what you've got,” Harford said.
“Going by the revised judicial system for 2018, in my view, considering how things have been graded before, it will be a careless bump, high (contact) and high (impact), which will be a two-match suspension.
“He (Selwood) wasn’t unconscious, so that would be a severe grading (if he was concussed).
“I’m glad I’m not doing the MRO decision ... but he wasn’t unconscious.”
Harford said the fact Thomas was a repeat offender won’t be factored into any decision handed down by Christian.
The former Kangaroo has a lengthy rap sheet full of notable incidents and a pair of VFL suspensions last year, including a brutal bump on Melbourne’s Corey Maynard that saw him sidelined for three matches.
But under new AFL rules this year there are no applicable bad records despite his priors for striking, head butting and rough conduct.
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said he was “really disappointed” to see Thomas involved in another reportable offence.
“But Lindsay plays right on the edge and if his mind is not completely on the job, those things can happen. He will be back. We saw some of the great things he did last night as well,” Scott said.
Cats defender Tom Stewart on Sunday told Channel 9 that Selwood was still battling with his concussion symptoms.
“Scooter is all right, he’s a Selwood. He has a pretty hard head, but obviously Lindsay got him a ripper,” he said.
“He is a bit worse for wear today but he will do everything he can to get up next week. He is a crucial part of our midfield.”
Geelong takes on Sydney at GMHBA Stadium next Saturday, with Scott unsure of Selwood’s availability.
If he does not get up travelling emergency George Horlin-Smith adds valuable depth after 26 possessions and two goals as a late replacement when Tom Hawkins pulled out with back spasms.
“I don’t really know, he’s a sick boy,” said Scott about Selwood.
“It was a serious incident. So it was pretty clear right away he wouldn’t be able to come back on. With issues like this, they can seem really innocuous and players miss weeks.
“And the ones that seem serious, they can be right in a few days, so I always make it a policy to reserve my judgment.”
Geelong captain Joel Selwood could be scrutinised after remonstrated forcefully with Thomas in the aftermath, where he appeared to grab Thomas’ jumper and shove the ex-Kangaroo’s head into the turf in an incident that has split commentators on its legality.
Western Bulldog Lachie Hunter was suspended for a week for an aggressive head slam on Sydney’s Tom Papley last week.
Selwood could be fined for a trip on Chad Wingard midway through the last quarter after obviously throwing out his left leg.
Patrick Dangerfield grabbed Justin Westhoff in a headlock and threw him into the ground but will likely escape sanction.
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Originally published as Lindsay Thomas will miss two games for bump on Scott Selwood, say ex-MRP members
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