Alex Pearce cops three-week ban, Jai Newcombe free to play Collingwood

Fremantle will be without their captain for multiple weeks, while a verdict on Jai Newcombe’s tackle ahead of a clash with the Pies is in.

Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has been handed a three-week suspension for his high bump on Darcy Byrne-Jones as Hawthorn star Jai Newcombe was cleared to play Collingwood despite a borderline high tackle.

The AFL’s high bump rules will again be under scrutiny after Port Adelaide forward Byrne-Jones was concussed in his collision with Pearce.

Pearce was leading out from full forward as Byrne-Jones went back with the flight, and instead of contesting the ball bumped the Power player.

Slow-motion angles show that he made high contact with his shoulder, with Byrne-Jones then falling head-first into the ground before being ruled out with concussion.

Freo skipper Alex Pearce. Picture: Janelle St Pierre/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said his captain had to make a contest, saying he would be “crucified” if he did not attack the football.

But Pearce not only took his eyes off the ball, he did not actually contest the football.

Under the AFL’s rules he has to be handed a severe-force report and unless he can get off at the tribunal he will be out for three weeks.

He will miss games against Gold Coast (Ben King), North Melbourne (Nick Larkey) and Essendon (Peter Wright).

His collision had some similarities to Wright’s hit last year on Sydney’s Harry Cunningham, which saw him handed a four-week ban.

Longmuir was adamant his player had no case to answer.

“What’s Alex supposed to do in that situation? Pull out of that contest and let him mark it going back with the flight? He’d get crucified if Alex pulled out of that contest – that’s what would happen. I don’t have any issues with it.”

Fox Footy’s David King said on Saturday night that Pearce chose to bump rather than attack the football: “These are the ones you have to stamp out unfortunately. It’s line ball but he does brace and the brace to me is choosing to bump.

“He jumps, so he knows contact is coming. He has a duty of care to the other player – whether you like it or not, this is the world we now live in.”

St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt told Seven on Sunday the punishment did not fit the crime.

““It is a mess. The whole thing is a mess. The whole system is a mess. The framework’s a mess. We have got to fix it,” he said.

Tensions rise after Jarrod Berry was awarded a free kick for this incident involving Jai Newcombe.#AFLHawksLionspic.twitter.com/lN8ntzJmd4

— AFL (@AFL) May 24, 2025

Hawthorn star Newcombe dumped Brisbane midfielder Jarrod Berry into the ground with a backwards dumping motion in the Hawks’ worrying loss to the Lions.

Berry did make contact with his head to the ground but one of his arms was not pinned by Newcombe and he played out the contest.

So while Newcombe was charged with rough conduct, he has been handed a $10,000 fine ($6250 with a guilty plea).

He was handed a $10,000 fine for tripping James Rowbottom in March and a $10,000 fine for rough conduct on Jesse Hogan late last season so he is quickly toting up a hefty fines total.

But he is available against Collingwood in a huge relief for coach Sam Mitchell.

The Hawks are badly missing star mid Will Day and subbed off emerging midfielder Cam Mackenzie after little impact against the Lions.