Montagna faces two-match AFL ban - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Montagna faces two-match AFL ban

By Roger Vaughan and Greg Buckle 10/05/2011 10:25:55 PM Comments (0)

St Kilda midfielder Leigh Montagna is facing a two-match AFL ban for bumping Ed Curnow's injured shoulder during the narrow loss to Carlton.

The match review panel charged Montagna with misconduct on Tuesday for making "unreasonable or unnecessary contact with an injured player" during the first term of Monday night's match at Etihad Stadium.

But the star Saint can accept a one-match ban with an early guilty plea.

Also, Carlton captain Chris Judd was the most out of pocket after eight players were fined for the quarter-time melee during the at-times spiteful game.

After receiving a medical report from Carlton, the MRP ruled Montagna's bump on Curnow was intentional and low impact.

Montagna is risking a two-match ban if he goes to the tribunal because he has 93.75 carryover points from last season.

Saints coach Ross Lyon said he couldn't comment on the specifics of Montagna's case.

"There still hasn't been a final decision on what Leigh will do, so that will be delivered in the morning," Lyon told Fox Sports.

"What's right is injured players, if you know they're injured and they're making their way off the field, leave them alone, so the principle's right."

The AFL clamped down on intentional contact with injured players after Brisbane opponents ran into Saints captain Nick Riewoldt as he left the field with a broken collarbone six years ago.

The match review panel on Tuesday looked at St Kilda ruck-forward Justin Koschitzke, who also bumped Curnow - but let him off because he made contact with the uninjured shoulder.

"The panel said that no contact was made by Koschitzke to the shoulder region that Curnow had previously damaged during the quarter," the AFL said in a tribunal statement.

Judd was fined twice for his central role in the quarter-time melee and received a total penalty of $4000.

Judd was fined for instigating the melee and for engaging in the incident.

The two-time Brownlow Medallist can accept a $3000 penalty if he takes the early plea on the two charges.

He remains eligible for this year's Brownlow because there are no penalty points involved in melee charges.

Judd was among five Carlton players and three Saints who were fined for taking part.

The melee penalties total $16,400, but would reduce to $12,300 if all the players took early pleas.

Judd and team-mates Aaron Joseph, Heath Scotland, Mitch Robinson and Marc Murphy all were fined $1600, reduced to $1200 with early pleas.

Lyon said he didn't know what triggered the usually mild-mannered Judd's outburst.

"He certainly wasn't being tagged," Lyon said.

"He's leading that club. He might have felt `gee the Saints are coming, I need to make a stand'.

"Maybe it was a conscious decision to spark things up for the Blues."

St Kilda utility Jason Gram was fined $2800, which can go down to $2100, because it was his second melee offence.

Team-mates David Armitage and Sam Gilbert were also fined $1600, or $1200 if they accept their penalties.

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