MRP verdict: Tom Jonas sent directly to AFL Tribunal, Lin Jong offered two-match sanction

UPDATE: A REMORSEFUL Tom Jonas has been sent directly to the AFL Tribunal for his strike on West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff in Round 9.

Tom Jonas before his hit Andrew Gaff. Picture: Mark Brake

PORT Adelaide defender Tom Jonas has been sent directly to the AFL tribunal for his strike on West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff.

The incident, which left Gaff unconscious, was assessed as intentional, severe impact and high contact by the Match Review Panel, with no option for an early guilty plea available.

The MRP laid 20 charges from Round 9, but Western Bulldog Lin Jong is the only other player facing a suspension.

Jong was offered a two-game ban for making forceful front on contact to GWS defender Matthew Buntine.

Buntine was able to walk from the field, but took no further part in the game after quarter time at Spotless Stadium.

Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray was cleared of tripping and Leigh Montagna’s elbow to the head of Mark Baguley was deemed to have insufficient force.

Fremantle’s Zac Dawson and Richmond’s Tyrone Vickery were both cleared of rough conduct and Sam Mitchell of striking Dan Hannebery.

A range of melee and wrestling fines were handed down from incidents in the West Coast v Port Adelaide, Melbourne v Brisbane games and St Kilda v Essendon games.

Earlier today, a remorseful Jonas apologised for the incident via a media conference, insisting he is not a dirty player.

Gaff’s neck was placed in a brace and he was taken from the field on a stretcher as a melee between the teams broke out.

Jonas said he deserved whatever punishment he has coming but hoped his act doesn’t define his career.

“I have hurt one of my fellow players, that is the main thing. Hopefully I’m not remembered for that,” Jonas said.

“I don’t think that I’m a dirty player but obviously I have opened that up for speculation.

“You guys will form your own opinions but I try and play tough but fair.”

“At the end of the day, I did the crime so I got to do the time. So they will come up with appropriate sanction.

“I’ll receive a sanction and cop whatever comes my way and learn from it.”

Jonas said he contacted Gaff to apologise straight after Saturday night’s games and would now have to regain his teammates’ respect.

“I thought he probably wouldn’t be in the mood for a call from me and we had a bit of a message conversation, so it was good of him,” Jonas said.

“You never like to injure or see another player injured in our game. That’s not in the spirit of the game.”

Jonas has only been suspended once in his 82-game career — in 2013 — but he could well get slugged with a five- or six-match suspension this time around.

Andrew Gaff was knocked out after he was elbowed by Tom Jonas. Picture: Mark Brake

West Coast players remonstrate with Port Adelaide’s Tom Jonas. Picture: Sarah Reed

Port coach Ken Hinkley said Jonas regretted his actions.

“He’s a nice bloke. He knows he made a mistake,” Hinkley said.

“The AFL will take care of that and Tommy will cop what comes his way, but he’s more concerned for Andrew than his own self.”

Lin Jong is in trouble for his hit on Matthew Buntine. Picture: Images

Originally published as MRP verdict: Tom Jonas sent directly to AFL Tribunal, Lin Jong offered two-match sanction