AFL Round 24: Latest injury and MRO news, Liam Jones set to face MRO heat for dangerous tackle

The Western Bulldogs will retain Liam Jones for its elimination final date with Hawthorn, but the Blues will be without their best small forward in Matt Owies.

The Western Bulldogs can breathe a sigh of relief after defender Liam Jones avoided suspension and is free to play week one of the final, while Carlton livewire Matt Owies will miss Carlton’s elimination final against Brisbane.

Jones was cited for a tackle on GWS former No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman in Ballarat on Sunday, and was fined $3750 for rough conduct.

Jones drove Cadman into the ground with his arms pinned, an action which the AFL has tried to stamp out this season, but the AFL deemed the incident careless, with low impact and high contact.

Cadman’s head did not seem to hit the ground with force, as he played on throughout the afternoon.

But the AFL did suspend GWS defender Lachie Ash for a tackle on Fremantle’s Hayden Young last week in very similar circumstances, with Ash pinning only one arm but using force to take Young to ground.

Liam Jones may have to head to the tribunal. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Owies was suspended for a similar incident, where he drove Jack Higgins into the Marvel Stadium turf, but the AFL judged Owies’ conduct as medium impact as well as high contact and careless conduct.

Owies has kicked the third most goals of any Carlton players as they deal with continual injuries to their fleet of small forwards.

But his chase-down tackle on Higgins late in the loss to St Kilda saw him pin both of his opponent’s arms as Higgins tipped forward.

Higgins’ head bounced off the turf with some force and while he was able to play on it seems a clear-cut suspension given the precedent of the year.

Jack Higgins was taken down in a big tackle from Owies.

But was he unlucky not to get a free kick?

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Carlton has a host of returning stars including Harry McKay (quad) and Charlie Curnow (ankle) but Owies has shown his capacity to find space to hit the scoreboard with 32 goals this year.

Carlton would find it harder to overturn a potential suspension for Owies but has shown in recent seasons with a host of successful challenges it is not afraid to take on the AFL tribunal or appeals board.

The AFL handed down four fines in the final game of the season, with Nathan O’Driscoll and Jason Horne-Francis fined for making contact with an umpire and Sam Switkowski and Liam Reidy fined $3750 for tripping and rough conduct respectively, which can be lowered to $2500 with an early plea.

PICKETT URGED TO DROP ‘TOUGH GUY’ ACT AFTER LATEST SUSPENSION

– Glenn McFarlane

Melbourne’s hangover from its miserable 2024 season will carry over into next season with star forward Kysaiah Pickett suspended for the first three matches following his clumsy bump that left Collingwood captain Darcy Moore with concussion.

It comes as former Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton urged Pickett to change his approach to contests before it was too late, saying his undisciplined edge was hurting his team.

Pickett has endeavoured to change his style this year, but a slip-up during the second term of Friday night’s clash with the Magpies will see him sit out the opening round for a second successive season.

He missed the club’s Opening Round clash with Sydney this season after being banned for a game for his semi-final bump on Carlton’s Patrick Cripps.

It’s a huge blow for a club so desperate to make up for a painful 2024 season which saw the Demons drop out of the eight for the first time since 2020 amid frustrations on and off the field.

“We love seeing Kozzy Pickett out on the ground doing what Kozzy Pickett can do, which no one else can do,” Brereton said on Fox Footy.

Kysaiah Pickett collects Darcy Moore. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

It’s a huge blow for a club so desperate to make up for a painful 2024 season which saw the

“But you know what, he attempts to play a tough guy’s role. Leave that to the mugs, you can’t be spiteful in this era and play football.

“If you play with spite, you’re going, you can’t do it anymore. Different era.”

Match review officer Michael Christian graded the Pickett incident – which left Moore subbed out of the game – as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.

That assessment saw a three-game ban handed down, which the Demons could yet take to the tribunal on Tuesday night.

The Demons had been hoping the fact that Moore was going to ground just before the contest might help in the MRO assessment.

But the fact that Moore suffered a delayed concussion in the rooms at half-time was always going to count against Pickett in the 46-point loss to the Magpies.

Originally published as AFL Round 24: Latest injury and MRO news, Liam Jones set to face MRO heat for dangerous tackle