Geelong star Mitch Duncan likely to escape suspension for collision with Robbie Fox

Will Geelong have Mitch Duncan available for its clash with Essendon next week? Get the latest on how the MRO will look at his bump.

Chris Scott and Mark Blicavs after last year’s premiership. Picture: Getty Images

Geelong star Mitch Duncan is likely to escape suspension for his collision with Sydney’s Robbie Fox given the unique nature of their Saturday night clash.

Under the AFL’s own precedent players who run past the ball to collect a player high are responsible for that contact.

But in a bizarre incident Fox ran past the ball and was then collected high by Duncan, who was attempting to contest the footy during Geelong’s dominant victory over Sydney.

The AFL’s crackdown on players dumping rivals or collecting them high has seen a long list of early-season suspensions.

But Duncan could reasonably make the case that he had no other alternative than protecting himself as he tucked up in a bracing position.

Fox’s head hit the ground as part of the incident but if the MRO decides Duncan is not guilty of a reportable incident he would not be responsible for that contact.

Geelong coach Chris Scott made clear he expected his star half back to be available against Essendon next week in a clash where the dual premiership coach takes on brother Brad.

“I am not (expecting him to be suspended). I looked at it really closely and it’s almost impossible to do anything different to what he did when a player is coming at you at that speed. I am not saying Fox deliberately ran past the ball but he ended up past the ball and Mitch has got to protect himself somehow,” he said.

Is Mitch Duncan in trouble for this?#AFLCatsSwanspic.twitter.com/kKX8ZgiEyr

— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 22, 2023

LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN AS CATS SMASH SWANS

Scott Gullan

They say lightning isn’t supposed to strike twice but Sydney must be questioning that theory after what happened at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.

Their rematch with Geelong was basically the grand final massacre all over again, just at a different venue.

The similarities were disturbingly eerie.

In the GF the Cats kicked six goals in the opening quarter which they did again and the margin at halftime was 35 points, one less than on the last Saturday in September last year.

Jeremy Cameron dominated against the Swans. Picture: Getty Images

And remember how Tom Hawkins kept kicking goals out of ruck contests in the grand final, he did that in the second quarter thanks to a silly free-kick from Sydney ruckman Peter Ladhams.

Then the third quarter of the GF was a six goals to zero Geelong’s way, last night was seven goals to zero with Sydney scoring just one point, exactly like they did seven months ago.

The three-quarter time margin was 78 points, compared to 74 last year.

So you can imagine what the focus of the Cats faithful was in the final term. Could they deliver even more pain to Sydney this time around?

Of course they could. The final margin was 93 - 12 points more than the GF - with Sydney incredibly only able to score three points in the second half.

There was also a familiar feel about the best players. Patrick Dangerfield didn’t win the Norm Smith Medal but in the eyes of many he probably should have. There was no question about who was best-on-ground last night, it was the No.35.

Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron kicked five goals each while Brad Close, who was one of the best Cats in the GF, was prominent again.

Normally the grand final re-match is one of the most anticipated games of the season but there was a whiff about this one even before the teams ran out.

Sydney were belted from start to finish. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Both sides had six players missing from the GF although the Swans outs were sizeable with their best forward (Lance Franklin), three best defenders (Tom and Paddy McCartin, Dane Rampe), the No.1 ruck (Tom Hickey) and his back-up (Sam Reid).

The Cats were obviously without their inspirational premiership captain Joel Selwood although he still played his role last night, carrying the 2022 premiership cup around GMHBA Stadium and then raising the premiership flag before the start of the game,

Goalsneak Tyson Stengle, ruckman Rhys Stanley, defenders Jack Henry and Jed Bews plus Brandon Parfitt were the other outs.

All of these missing links for both sides threw up some weird and wonderful coaching moves.

John Longmire dug into his bag of tricks and sent All-Australian wingman Callum Mills to full-back to stand Tom Hawkins. This shock move had all in sundry diving for The Football Record to figure out that the big Cat had a 9cm and 19kg advantage.

Chris Scott was working his own different angles by withdrawing ruckman John Ceglar as a late change in favour of a ruck set-up of Mark Blicavs with some help from Sam De Koning.

This wasn’t as bizarre as the Mills move given Blicavs has done it plenty of times before and it showed. He was brilliant while Mills was clearly out of his depth.

The loss was the worst of Longmire’s coaching career which says a lot. His team is clearly still spooked by the Cats who sent a commanding message to the rest of the competition that maybe lightning could strike again in September.

Mitch Duncan after his bump on Robbie Fox. Picture: Michael Klein

Originally published as Geelong star Mitch Duncan likely to escape suspension for collision with Robbie Fox