Match review panel hands out first AFLW suspensions

UPDATE: THREE players will miss round two of the AFL Women’s competition after accepting one-match bans from a physical first weekend of the inaugural AFL Women’s season.

Melbourne’s Richelle Cranston crashes into Brisbane’s Jamie Stanton. Picture: Getty Images

UPDATE: THREE players will miss round two of the AFL Women’s competition after accepting one-match bans from a physical first weekend of the inaugural AFL Women’s season.

Melbourne’s Richelle Cranston, Bulldogs midfielder Kirsty Lamb and Docker Ebony Antonio were all charged following the first sitting of the AFLW match review panel.

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The trio all decided today not to challenge the sanctions and risk a second match on the sidelines.

Cranston was charged with front-on contact for her clash with Lion Jamie Stanton.

Melbourne’s Richelle Cranston crashes into Brisbane’s Jamie Stanton. Picture: Getty Images

“Based on the available video evidence and a medical report ... the incident was assessed as careless conduct with medium impact to the head,” the panel said in a statement.

It was classified as a two-week sanction that can be brought down to one with an early plea.

Stanton — who left the field cradling her arm — returned to the field shortly after the incident, but Lions women’s coach Craig Starcevich said that the 20-year-old would be assessed for any AC joint trouble.

Stanton leaves the field cradling her arm. Picture: Getty Images

Lamb and Antonio, both among their side’s best at Whitten Oval on Saturday, were charged with rough conduct.

Both Antonio’s incident involving Bulldog Jess Gardner and Lamb’s rough conduct against Fremantle’s Akec Makur Chuot were assessed as “careless conduct with medium impact to the head”.