AFL MRO, injury news from round 13: James Peatling banned for Lachie Neale tackle, Bailey Smith injured

Geelong has been rocked by a double injury blow — including Brownlow Medal favourite Bailey Smith. Plus, the latest MRO news with star Crow set for a stint on the sidelines.

Geelong big man Shannon Neale has joined Bailey Smith on the sidelines as the Cats already count the cost of a tough battle against Gold Coast.

Neale appeared to jar his left ankle badly midway through the second quarter and struggled to get to the bench.

Playing in the ruck at the time, Neale contested a ball in and then landed awkwardly and limped into the rooms.

Only moments later, Neale’s ruck mate appeared to dislocate a finger in the ruck, but carried on with the play.

Shannon Neale competes in a ruck contest before going off injured.

Bailey Smith was a late out.

Neale was supped out before half-time, with veteran Mitch Duncan injected into the game.

The Cats began the afternoon with a limp, as star onballer Smith pulled out before the match with hamstring awareness.

Smith felt for his right hamstring late in a win over West Coast, but played out the match.

He underwent a fitness test under the watchful eye of medical staff but could be seen pointing to that right hamstring.

The walking headline Cat was spotted watching the game from the stands in a heft jacket to ward off frosty and wet conditions.

Geelong faces Essendon next week, before a blockbuster home game against Brisbane, which is followed by a bye.

Judson Clarke had been closing in on an AFL return.

FEARS LUCKLESS TIGER HAS SUFFERED SECOND ACL BLOW

— Glenn McFarlane

Richmond fears one of its most popular young players Judson Clarke may have suffered a second ACL injury in the space of just over 12 months.

Clarke was playing in the Tigers’ VFL clash with Sydney at Beaconsfield yesterday when he went down with a knee injury.

The 21-year-old was on the comeback trail after playing more than a month in the second tier competition following the ACL he suffered when playing in the VFL in April last year.

He will undergo scans to determine the damage, but the club is bracing for bad news.

Clarke, who has played 17 AFL games since being drafted in 2021, was tracking towards making a senior return at some stage soon.

Campbell Gray also hurt his knee in the Tigers’ five-point VFL win over the Swans. He will also go in for scans, with the Tigers hopeful that it may not be quite as serious.

CROW BANNED FOR SECOND TIME IN EIGHT WEEKS FOR DUMP TACKLE

- Glenn McFarlane

Adelaide’s James Peatling will miss Friday night’s crucial game with Hawthorn in Launceston after being banned for a dangerous tackle for the second time this season.

Peatling was reported on Friday night for rough conduct where he took Brisbane’s Lachie Neale to ground, with the midfielder’s head slamming into the ground.

Neale was assessed but was allowed to play out the rest of the game, saving Peatling from a worse outcome than his one-game ban.

If Neale had been concussed, Peatling would likely have received a three-game suspension.

The match review officer graded Peatling’s incident as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact, which ruled him out of the Hawks clash.

James Peatling pleads his case after being reported.

The controlling umpire reported Peatling on the spot in Friday night’s clash, with the ban a blow for the Crows who are on track to break an eight-year finals drought.

Peatling, in his first year with the Crows after moving from GWS, also copped a one-game suspension when he laid a dump tackle on Geelong’s Oisin Mullin back in round 5.