Former AFL players Tom Couch, Devon Smith and Jonathan Simpkin hit with suspensions as Couch has ban reduced

Three former AFL players have been offered suspensions in local footy, and one of them has successfully challenged their ban at the tribunal. Watch the incident here and have your say.

Former AFL player Tom Couch will sit out the next two matches for Anglesea after his bump ban was successfully reduced at the AFL Barwon tribunal.

Couch was initially offered a four-week suspension, three with a guilty plea, for his hit on Torquay captain Ben McNamara in Torquay’s win over Anglesea which left the Tigers star concussed.

SEE THE INCIDENT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

But the tribunal came to the decision to reduce his ban to two weeks in a significant boost for Anglesea, meaning he is now available for crucial clashes against Geelong Amateur and Ocean Grove to close out the Bellarine Football Netball League season.

The initial incident was ruled as intentional conduct, high impact and high contact and McNamara will miss the next two matches under the AFL’s concussion guidelines for local football.

Couch, who played three games for Melbourne from 2012-13 and is son of the late Geelong great Paul, has kicked 19 goals in his nine games for the Roos since joining them as a prized off-season signing.

On Tuesday night it was revealed Lara playing co-coach Devon Smith and Colac star Jonathan Simpkin will miss this weekend in the GFNL.

Former Essendon and GWS star Smith has accepted a one-match suspension for striking Harry Purcell in the first quarter of Lara’s win over North Shore, while Hawthorn premiership player Simpkin has received the same penalty for rough conduct on Bell Park’s Euriah Hollard.

It capped an eventful week for Smith after him and fellow Lara co-coach Shayne Stone announced they would be stepping down at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Portarlington player Daniel Riosa has accepted a one-match guilty plea for his bump on Drysdale defender Luke Preece and Drysdale star Jake Hargreaves will also miss a week for a rough conduct incident on Kelly Pickard.

Grovedale star Nathan Deans and South Barwon player Jackson Carmody have also accepted one-match bans for their respective bumps in the second quarter of the Swans’ win.

Originally published as Former AFL players Tom Couch, Devon Smith and Jonathan Simpkin hit with suspensions as Couch has ban reduced