AFL suspensions: Charlie Curnow escapes suspension, Steven May accepts one-match ban

Tom Naghten

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AFL suspensions: Charlie Curnow escapes suspension, Steven May accepts one-match ban image

Carlton youngster Charlie Curnow has had his one-match ban for striking overturned by the AFL tribunal, and is free to play the Greater Western Sydney Giants this Sunday. 

Curnow was initially offered a one-game ban by the AFL's match review officer Michael Christian after striking the head of Gold Coast Suns co-captain Steven May. 

It took the tribunal just 14 minutes to decide that Curnow's strike was careless rather than intentional.

The 21-year-old was instead hit with a $2000 fine, with a $1000 discount for his early guilty plea. 

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"I respect the decision made this evening by the tribunal and thank them for the outcome," Curnow said as he left.

"I'm looking forward to [playing] GWS this week, it should be good."

May did not require any treatment as a result of the incident and wouldn't miss any games because of it, but he will be sidelined for a week after accepting a one-match ban for a serparate incident in the same match. 

May was charged with rough conduct on Charlie's brother, Ed, and will be absent for the Suns' game with Melbourne this weekend. 


 

The other incident of note from that game was a tackle by Brownlow fancy Patrick Cripps which left David Swallow concussed.

Cripps was cleared of any wrongdoing for the tackle.


 

Adelaide's Kyle Cheney was the only other player to be hit with a suspension on Monday, being offered one-match for rough conduct on Melbourne's Bailey Fritsch.

Cheney and May will join Sydney's Zak Jones on the sidelines. Jones accepted his two-game ban for this bump on Essendon's Kyle Langford.


Steven Motlop, Tom Rockliff, Mitch Robinson, Devon Smith and Willie Rioli were also hit with fines following the weekend's action.

 

 

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.