Jackson Archer of North Melbourne has received a three-match suspension following a serious collision with Luke Cleary during the Kangaroos’ defeat to the Western Bulldogs in round one. The incident caught the attention of the Match Review Officer (MRO), leading to Archer being referred to the tribunal.
On Tuesday, Archer attended the tribunal hearing, but after over an hour of deliberation, the panel upheld the suspension. Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson stated that Archer’s actions constituted rough contact, indicating that he did not slow down sufficiently before the impact, which was judged as careless and of severe nature.
During the hearing, Archer expressed regret and mentioned he had reached out to Cleary the day after the incident, with Cleary acknowledging that the collision was not Archer’s fault. This perspective was echoed by Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who voiced his belief that Archer had no intention to harm Cleary, stating, “I don’t think he should be out of the game.”
Archer’s conduct was scrutinised and found to have breached the standards of care expected in such circumstances, warranting the three-match ban as a consequence of his actions during the game.