Gary Ablett, Nat Fyfe both cleared by MRO but Sam Durdin banned for bump

Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson was as surprised as anyone after the AFL ticked off Gary Ablett and Nat Fyfe’s high blows on opponents, cheekily suggesting players were now allowed to “throw elbows”.

Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson has questioned the AFL match review system after Geelong superstar Gary Ablett dodged suspension for a second-straight week and fellow big name Nat Fyfe also got off.

Ablett’s hit on Kangaroo Sam Wright was graded as insufficient force.

And Fyfe remains eligible to win a second Brownlow Medal after he was also cleared for an errant elbow to Richmond’s Tom Lynch.

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Both men appeared to thrust their elbows towards opponents, prompting Robinson to take to social media.

So.... we can throw elbows now? Sweet! pic.twitter.com/11bgpU16Gh

— Mitch Robinson (@MitchRobinson05) May 13, 2019

“So ... we can throw elbows now? Sweet!” Robinson wrote on Twitter.

Ablett is free to take on Western Bulldogs on Saturday on the basis his forearm first made contact with Wright’s chest, cushioning the blow before Ablett’s arm slid up into his head.

Fyfe will lead the Dockers against and under-pressure Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

But young North Melbourne defender Sam Durdin was made to pay for his bump which concussed Geelong recruit Gary Rohan.

Durdin was suspended for one match for the accidental head clash and today accepted his ban, meaning he won’t face the Sydney Swans on Saturday night in Hobart.

It was graded as careless conduct with medium impact to the head.

Ablett, who has surged from $151 into $34 to win a third Brownlow with TAB, was in the spotlight after delivering an almost identical forearm to last week’s clash with Essendon’s Dylan Shiel.

In both cases Ablett jumped off the ground and led with his forearm.

While Ablett got his one-week ban overturned at the tribunal last week, Christian said the champion ball-winner did not contact Wright hard enough on Sunday to warrant a suspension.

Both players’ medical reports were all clear, meaning neither sustained an injury in their Ablett collisions.

Gary Ablett is free to play this week. Picture: Michael Klein

But what might have saved Ablett was Wright’s recovery time as the Roo bounced quickly back to his feet, whereas Shiel stayed down for about 20 seconds.

“The conduct (with Wright) was as it was the previous week (with Shiel), it was graded as intentional,” Christian said.

“Then it was a question of impact and it was determined that it was insufficient force to constitute a reportable offence.

“The majority of the contact to Sam Wright was initially across the top of his chest and then sliding up.

And because it was front-on, that was also taken into account.

As you know, medical reports are also an important ingredient in that, but there are a number of factors in determining a particular incident.”

Christian said he did not consider the tribunal verdict which saved Ablett, 34, from the first suspension of his unblemished and decorated career last week.

“Each incident is assessed independently, so there is no consideration of what happened last week or the week before. It is assessed on its merits,” Christian said.

Nat Fyfe has also been cleared by the MRO. Picture: AAP

Christian also did not apply the “potential to cause serious harm” provision which automatically upgrades high hits to medium force, which would have banned Ablett for two matches.

Under AFL rules, that provision deals specifically with “a strike with a raised elbow or forearm”.

Fyfe was also cleared because the hit on Lynch was deemed insufficient force.

“Nat Fyfe was similar, the impact in that case was also not enough to constitute a reportable offence, and Tom Lynch was able to get straight up and continue playing,” Christian said.

Hawk James Frawley was fined $2000 for bumping GWS Giant Jeremy Cameron into the fence on Sunday.

Cameron is in doubt to play Carlton on Sunday with a sore left shoulder.

Eagles’ premiership star Jeremy McGovern was also fined $2000 for his off-the-ball bump on Saint Blake Acres.

Originally published as Gary Ablett, Nat Fyfe both cleared by MRO but Sam Durdin banned for bump