Sam Powell-Pepper set to receive hefty ban for high bump on Mark Keane

Sam Powell-Pepper can expect a hefty ban for his high hit on Crow Mark Keane, but a recent rule change gives the AFL new powers to decide when that suspension starts.

Sam Powell-Pepper.

Sam Powell-Pepper’s decision to bump Adelaide opponent Mark Keane instead of brace for inevitable contact is likely to see him handed at least a three-match suspension from the AFL.

But Powell-Pepper could be allowed to serve a game of any potential ban in next Friday’s community series clash against Fremantle.

Under new regulations, there is the “discretion for the AFL to apply a suspension differently in exceptional and compelling circumstances”.

It means even if Powell-Pepper is handed a three or four-week ban there is discretion for the league to force him to serve all of it starting from round 1 or serve one of those weeks’ suspension in the community series.

The AFL’s match review team will on Monday assess the weekend’s incidents.

Adelaide defender Keane was being tackled and rotated by Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli as Powell-Pepper approached the contest in the middle of Alberton Oval on Friday night.

Sam Powell-Pepper crashes into Mark Keane. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Under AFL rules if Powell-Pepper had stopped his forward momentum as the players moved towards him and then simply braced for any contact as he protected himself he would have a clear case for his defence.

But footage shows Powell-Pepper instead leant into a bump, which breached his duty of care to opponent Keane, who was concussed.

The most likely course of action is that Powell-Pepper is handed a severe impact, high-contact, careless rough conduct report.

In recent history every AFL player suspended across the official pre-season competition has had to start that suspension from the first week of the season proper.

The league has just changed that rule, in part because of the quirks of the starting times state league seasons.

Given many state league seasons start later than the AFL season, players who still have VFL suspensions to serve from the previous season could be unfairly penalised.

This year the VFL season only starts in round 2 of the AFL season, so players waiting to serve VFL suspensions could also miss their AFL team’s first two games.

So while the rule has been brought in for state-league players, it does give the AFL leeway to decide how any suspension is served.

Richmond on Sunday confirmed midfielder Tyler Sonsie, suspended for three weeks in the VFL last year for an off-the-ball strike, could serve the remaining two weeks of that suspension in rounds zero and one of the AFL season.

The VFL appealed his three-week suspension and had hoped for a lengthier ban but was unsuccessful.

So while the VFL had argued for a four or five-week ban, he will only miss one week of VFL action – the final round last year – and return for round 1 of the VFL season on the weekend of March 22-24.

Mark Keane reacts after the heavy hit. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

It is not known if the league’s new regulations played a part in the AFL allowing him back for the start of the VFL season instead of serving the remaining two weeks in the VFL.

Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey, Adelaide’s Shane McAdam and Richmond’s Rhyan Mansell all served three-week bans for high bumps last year, with Nathan Broad’s sling tackle the only incident handed a four-week ban.

So Powell-Pepper might hope to serve only a three-week ban if he is found guilty of rough conduct, even if he has to argue his case at the tribunal.

Under an AFL rule tweak the MRO can now offer players a three-week ban for a severe impact incident rather than sending them directly to the AFL tribunal.

Originally published as Sam Powell-Pepper set to receive hefty ban for high bump on Mark Keane