Lecture for Demons as Jeremy Howe escapes suspension for blood-wiping charge

MELBOURNE players will be lectured on the danger of exposed blood during a game, after Jeremy Howe narrowly avoided suspension.

MELBOURNE players will be lectured on the danger of exposed blood during a game, after young Demon forward Jeremy Howe narrowly avoided suspension last night.

Howe escaped with a reprimand and 93.75 carry-over demerit points after being sent to the AFL Tribunal to answer a misconduct charge.

The high-leaping Demon pleaded guilty to intentionally wiping blood from his knee on the shorts of Port Adelaide defender Tom Jonas in Darwin on Saturday night.

Howe was relieved to avoid a one-match penalty, as the tribunal jury took into account his guilty plea and good record.

"I'm very, very remorseful and it's obviously a bit of an embarrassment to myself, and I'm really looking forward to getting out next weekend and playing footy with the boys again," 22-year-old Howe said after the short hearing.

Defence advocate Iain Findlay said at the hearing that Melbourne took the matter seriously and "the whole club will be talked to by the doctor" this week.

Howe told the jury his action was "pure frustration".

"It's taken seriously and I've spoken to the club doctor and he explained how serious it is," he said.

Howe said he had a small abrasion on the outside of his right knee from sliding on the turf .

The incident happened after Jonas had attempted draw an umpire's attention to the blood so Howe would have to leave the ground.

Howe said he deliberately raised the knee to wipe the blood on Jonas' shorts in a bid to have the Power player sent off as well.

A decade ago, Collingwood ace Nathan Buckley was suspended for one week for smearing blood from a cut eyebrow on the jumper of Geelong's Cameron Ling.

Now Collingwood coach, Buckley said yesterday: "It was a brain fade on my behalf (even though) it was fairly well planned out. There was some logic in it, that I wanted to get Lingy off the field."

AFL legal counsel Jeff Gleeson recommended the base one-match suspension for Howe.

"It was deliberate, spur of the moment and in all circumstances unacceptable - not the sort of behaviour players should engage in and he accepts that," Gleeson said.

Geelong's Matthew Scarlett accepted a one-match penalty for striking Essendon's Cory Dell'Olio and will miss Saturday's home game against Adelaide.

Richmond defender Steven Morris failed in his challenge to a melee fine and must pay $1600 to the AFL.