AFL grand final: All the latest MRO news ahead of the Swans-Lions clash
Star veteran Dayne Zorko won’t be feeling relieved just because of Brisbane’s stunning victory over the Cats. Plus will Patrick Dangerfield be free to play in Round 1?
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Geelong superstar captain Patrick Dangerfield will be free to play in the Cats’ first game of next season after he was fined for a dangerous tackle in Saturday night’s preliminary final.
Dangerfield dumped Lions’ Hugh McCluggage into the turf in the third term but let go of his right arm, allowing McCluggage to soften the impact to his head in the tackle.
It meant Dangerfield avoided a suspension and will be available in Round 1 next year as the tackle was graded careless conduct, high contact and low impact, triggering a $2500 fine.
However, it was a costly night for the brilliant ballwinner as he was fined another $1250 for striking Lion Josh Dunkley to the body earlier in the second term, bringing his total fines to $3750 for the night.
Brisbane superstar Dayne Zorko will be free to play in the Lions’ premiership decider on Saturday at the MCG after he was cleared of striking Geelong’s Ollie Henry in the first quarter.
Zorko, who has one of the longest rap sheets in the game, swiped at Henry’s chin with a late swinging right arm in a marking contest inside Geelong’s forward line.
Henry went down clutching his chin as the Cats unsuccessfully pleaded for a 50m penalty from the incident.
But Zorko, who was running back with the flight in the marking contest, was the most relieved man in the game on Sunday night when he avoided sanction for the incident.
AFL match review officer Michael Christian reviewed multiple angles of the Zorko incident on Sunday and confirmed the contact to Henry’s head was minimal as part of a glancing blow only.
The Cats’ medical report confirmed Henry, who played on, was uninjured in the incident.
Henry missed the set shot on goal as the Lions booked a second consecutive Grand Final berth.
Brisbane forward Eric Hipwood was also fined $3750 for a rough conduct charge on Cat Jack Henry in the first term.
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