MPNFL: Karingal’s Riley D’Arcy suspended for six games

Karingal’s finals campaign has been dealt a blow with key forward Riley D’Arcy handed a hefty suspension at the MPNFL tribunal.

The season is over for Karingal’s Riley D’Arcy after he was handed a six-game suspension at Tuesday night’s MPNFL tribunal.

D’Arcy will miss his side’s do-or-die first semi-final match against Pearcedale on Sunday, and also early games next season.

He was reported for “headbutting or making contact to another person using the head’’ in last weekend’s qualifying final loss to Somerville.

D’Arcy made contact to the head of Somerville defender Kane McKenzie in the last quarter.

He and Karingal have until Thursday to appeal the suspension, but Bulls coach Luke Forsyth said they wouldn’t be.

“Nah, don’t think we will to be honest,’’ Forsyth said on Wednesday morning.

“He’s probably been harshly done by.

“It (the tribunal hearing) got over pretty quick so I think they wanted to make a statement but we’re going to move on, we’ve got a finals series to contend.

“We’ll just look to Pearcedale I think.’’

Riley D'Arcy. Picture: Doug Farr

D’Arcy, a former Frankston Dolphins VFL player, has kicked 54 goals this season to be one of the league’s outstanding centre half-forwards.

He’s a big loss for Karingal but Forsyth said it gives the Bulls a chance to change their forward dynamic and in Saturday’s cut throat final.

“He’s a good footballer but the opposition know him, like Somey put a fair bit of time into him and we kind of played predictable footy,’’ Forsyth said.

“So I’m excited it gives a couple of blokes another opportunity and it gives us a chance to change things up a bit, which Pearcedale won’t know because we haven’t done it all year.

“It gives us a chance to throw another trick around and see what we come up with.’’

Forsyth said there were “plenty of guys in the twos playing good footy’’ who could replace D’Arcy.

“Whoever comes in they’re ready to go, that’s for sure,’’ he said.