Darcy Gardiner and Mason Cox have both avoided suspensions for their respective incidents in Collingwood’s clash with Brisbane on Friday night.
Gardiner smashed Josh Daicos with a late bump in a marking contest, leading to the Lions defender being placed on report and a 50-metre penalty paid to the Magpies.
Darcy Gardiner is on report for rough conduct on Josh Daicos. pic.twitter.com/LZedWHOv6X
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 14, 2022
Meanwhile, Cox leapt knee-first into a marking contested with Brandon Starvevich that he was unable to influence, a knock that left Starcevich struggling to get back to his feet.
Both were fined $2000 for the incidents with early pleas, Gardiner’s incident being deemed intentional conduct while Cox’s was graded careless.
The suspensions come days after Saints ruckman Paddy Ryder failed to overturn a two-game suspension at the Tribunal for a high bump on young Hawk Will Day that left him concussed.
Hawthorn great Luke Hodge believes the level of contact is the only aspect setting the incidents apart, admitting that both on Thursday night look “way more aggressive” than Ryder’s.
Ryder's suspension was in line with the AFL's recent hardline stance on protecting the head, with preventing concussion a key focus of the league in 2022.
“It’s the criteria of impact, that’s the difference,” Hodge told SEN's Crunch Time
“Gardiner and Cox, who jumped up in a contest and put his knee into Starcevich’s back, they looked way worse than what Paddy’s did.
“But with Paddy’s one, he got the hip and shoulder to the chin and spent the rest of the game off, so that can’t be low impact.
“Whereas Daicos gets back up and plays the rest of the game, Starcevich gets back up and plays the rest of the game and I think (the MRO) rated both those as low impact.
“As far as aggressive acts, Cox and Darcy Gardiner were way more aggressive and (they) looked way more aggressive than the Paddy Ryder one.”
Gardiner’s and Cox’s incidents were both rated low impact.
Ryder will subsequently miss Saturday's game against Gold Coast and the Saints' Round 6 clash with GWS.