AFL Round 1 tribunal: Jackson Archer’s three week ban leaves Nick Reiwoldt ‘fearful for the game’

A St Kilda legend says he is ‘fearful for the game’ if Jackson Archer is suspended for the horror collision with the Bulldogs’ Luke Cleary at Marvel Stadium.

Jackson Archer faces an uphill battle to overturn his contentious three-match suspension for the hit that concussed Luke Cleary after the AFL judged he ignored the ball to collide with his Western Bulldogs opponent.

The contest that split footy’s experts saw St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt saying he was “fearful for the game” if the son of Shinboner of the Century Glenn Archer was suspended.

But the AFL judged that Archer did not make a play on the ball and had no duty of care as he sprinted headlong into the contest as Cleary took possession of the ball.

While Archer did slow down in his final steps he never reached for the ball and never made a play on it given he was so late to the contest.

Given he had a duty of care to his opponent the league did not consider it a “football accident”.

Archer would have had to slow down well before he hit Cleary at pace to have been judged to have shown a duty of care.

He will face the AFL tribunal on Tuesday as Tom Lynch and Jack Scrimshaw also challenge three match bans for hits on Tom De Koning and Jordan Ridley respectively.

It came as Melbourne’s Aidan Johnson went from potential hero to out of the Demons after being suspended for a week for his dangerous tackle on GWS utility Callum Brown.

Werribee premiership player Johnson looked on the verge of a fairytale AFL debut when he had a chance to ice the game against GWS with a shot from 40m out on a tight angle.

Aidan Johnson and Callum M. Brown. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

But his shot faded wide before the Giants kicked the match-winner.

Only minutes before his tackle on Brown had seen him pin both arms then drive his opponent’s head into the ground.

By the time Brown hit the ground he had been able to free one of his arms but the force of the driving motion meant the Demons forward was suspended.

Dogs utility Clearly was sent to hospital but the Dogs reported on Monday that he had escaped any structural damage and was in the routine concussion protocols.

The AFL does penalise players for below-the-knees sliding free kicks but they are often on stationary players as their opponent goes in low and trips them up.

Jackson Archer is facing a three-week ban. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

Cleary had his head forward over the ball as Archer plunged into the contest, showing a reckless disregard for his opponent.

The Roos are happy to fly the flag for their young defender to risk the $10,000 in their soft cap that they would be docked for an unsuccessful tribunal case.

Riewoldt said he feared for the game on Monday because of the three-match suspension.

“I’m just really fearful for the game itself if this guy gets three weeks for this accident. You can’t legislate accidents out of the game. We don’t want concussions. That point has been made. That’s why players that are now bracing and protecting themselves are getting suspended.

Jackson Archer is lucky not to have a broken leg; it’s a violent collision. North has to appeal this decision. I would be sad if he doesn’t get off this.”

ARCHER HANDED A THREE-MATCH BAN AFTER HORROR CLASH

— Ed Bourke

North Melbourne defender Jackson Archer has been whacked with a three-match ban after a collision with Luke Cleary left the Western Bulldog concussed on Saturday night.

Cleary was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment on the field during the final quarter of the Bulldogs’ 16-point win over the Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium.

He was hit in the head by Archer’s knee as the Kangaroos defender appeared to twist and leave the ground just before impact.

Match review officer Michael Christian graded the incident careless, with high contact and severe impact.

North Melbourne was yet to decide whether to challenge the suspension.

The impact from the collision sparked immediate concern from players on the field and Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who ran downstairs from the coaches’ box to check Cleary’s welfare.

But after being taken to hospital, the 23-year-old was cleared of any serious damage to his head or neck and was in “good spirits” back at home by Sunday morning, a Bulldogs spokesperson said.

Cleary will be monitored under the league concussion protocols.

Both Beveridge and Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson said after the game they did not think Archer would have a case to answer with the MRO, but the Roos could be faced with losing another defender.

Luke Cleary of the Bulldogs is taken from the ground on a stretcher after a contest with Jackson Archer. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

They will already need to replace fullback Griffin Logue (hamstring) against Melbourne on Sunday, while Charlie Comben will need prove his fitness for the Demons clash after suffering a minor ankle sprain late in the match.

Comben, who has a history of serious lower leg injuries, was sent for scans on Sunday but no structural damage was found.

The bruising clash will also sideline luckless Bulldogs defender James O’Donnell, who was due to undergo surgery on a broken jaw by Monday morning and expected to miss multiple games.

With Liam Jones (hamstring) still at least two weeks away, the Bulldogs will need to turn to either Ryan Gardner, Buku Khamis or untried former No. 13 pick Jedd Busslinger in defence against Collingwood on Friday night.

Originally published as AFL Round 1 tribunal: Jackson Archer’s three week ban leaves Nick Reiwoldt ‘fearful for the game’