AFL MRO latest: Bans handed to Taylor Adams and Zach Merrett, Anthony Caminiti sent straight to tribunal

St Kilda’s Anthony Caminiti is set for a long stint on the sidelines after being sent straight to the tribunal. Plus, Taylor Adams and Tom Green learn their fate.

St Kilda's Anthony Caminiti is in strife.

St Kilda youngster Anthony Caminiti has been sent straight to tribunal for his hit on Collingwood’s Nathan Murphy where he faces a minimum four-match ban.

Match review panel officer Michael Christian threw the book at the Saints forward, grading his behind-the-play strike in Sunday’s game as intentional conduct, severe impact and high contact.

He has also recommended a penalty of between four and six weeks.

Murphy was concussed in the incident and forced from the ground in the last few minutes of the Pies thrilling win in Adelaide. He will now miss the Anzac Day blockbuster against Essendon.

St Kilda's Anthony Caminiti has been sent straight to the tribunal.

In further bad news for the Pies, midfielder Taylor Adams became the latest victim of the league’s crackdown on sling tackles, copping a one week ban for his tackle on St Kilda’s Seb Ross.

GWS Giants ball magnet Tom Green has also copped a one-week ban for his sling tackle on Hawthorn’s Josh Ward.

St Kilda will try to argue at the tribunal that Caminiti’s strike was a careless act, rather than intentional, which would reduce the suspension by at least one week.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley believes the Saints youngster has been too harshly dealt with and should only get a two-week ban.

“I think it’s careless, I don’t see it as a deliberate act,” Buckley told Fox Footy’s On The Couch. “Nathan (Murphy) dropped his knees so in some way he contributed.

“They might grade it as reckless but I think it’s careless. I don’t think that (incident) is one you want to make a big thing of.”

Taylor Adams has been handed a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Saints already have a ready-made replacement with Tim Membrey ready to return from a knee injury.

Richmond’s Nathan Broad received a four-week ban from the tribunal for a sling tackle on Adelaide’s Patrick Parnell in round 2.

After the match St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said he was unaware that Murphy had suffered a concussion.

“Really? That’s not good. If there is an incident and I haven’t seen that … but the processes will play out, I think both teams are just held accountable for every action out there,” Lyon said.

Adams’ incident wasn’t straightforward with two other Magpies making contact with Ross in the same sequence which ends with the Saints midfielder’s head hitting the turf.

Essendon is challenging captain Zach Merrett’s one-week ban for a sling tackle.

As it stands, the Bombers captain will miss his side’s Anzac Day clash against Collingwood and could be joined on the sidelines by a Magpies opponent following an incident on Sunday.

Essendon is expected to argue to the tribunal that Merrett’s tackle on Melbourne’s Tom Sparrow was low impact rather than medium, but the MRO’s grading of the incident comes as the AFL tries to crack down on the action following a string of similar offences in the opening five rounds of the season.

Last week the tribunal threw out a challenge by Hawthorn youngster Will Day who copped a two-week sling tackle ban, saying they were cracking down on the potential to cause serious injury in such incidents.

Day (two matches) and Geelong forward Gary Rohan (one match) were both rubbed out for dangerous tackles in round 4, while Nathan Broad (four matches) and Ryan Burton (two matches) were suspended the week before, with Broad’s tackle concussing Adelaide defender Patrick Parnell.

No player has successfully escaped a suspension for a dangerous tackle at the tribunal this season.

Originally published as AFL MRO latest: Bans handed to Taylor Adams and Zach Merrett, Anthony Caminiti sent straight to tribunal