A Swans defender is set to be sidelined for Sydney's elimination final fixture after being slapped with a damning suspension by the AFL's Match Review Officer, while a Geelong veteran will miss the Cats' final game of the season.
Sydney backman Tom McCartin was sanctioned with a two-match ban by the MRO after committing a bump on Adelaide Crows forward Shane McAdam on Saturday night.
The incident occurred in the early stages of the fourth quarter, as McCartin appeared to collect McAdam's head with his right shoulder, making substantial contact with the Crow.
Michael Christian adjudicated the act to be careless conduct, with high impact, and high contact, subsequently suspending the Swan for a pair of fixtures.
The MRO's decision means McCartin is set to miss Sydney's Round 24 clash with Melbourne next Sunday afternoon, as well as the Swans' elimination final bout in three weeks' time.
However, on Monday morning, the Harbour City club announced it will challenge the MRO's ruling at the Tribunal in an attempt to overturn or lessen McCartin's consequential ban.
Due to the fact that Adelaide's McAdam played out the remainder of Saturday night's game and was not subject to a head injury assessment immediately following the incident, the Swans could potentially argue the impact of McCartin's bump was not high.
The Swans, who were crushed by reigning premier Geelong in last year's Grand Final, qualified for this season's September action following a win over the Crows at Adelaide Oval at the weekend.
Sydney's win, though, has been mired in controversy due to a non-call of a score review for a Ben Keays snapping shot that would have resulted in a go-ahead goal. While video evidence dictated Keays' kick curved inside the left goal post, the adjudicating goal umpire signalled it had hit the post, with no score review called for and a quick Swans play-on.
The Crows' loss eliminates the West Lakes club from finals contention after what has been a promising campaign for Matthew Nicks' young brigade. The Swans, meanwhile, currently sit in seventh position and remain a lively chance at securing a home final if they defeat the Demons at the SCG and the sixth-placed Saints fall to the Brisbane Lions.
Geelong's Mitch Duncan, meantime, has been suspended for the Cats' final game of the season after he committed a dangerous tackle on St Kilda's Jack Higgins early in Saturday night's fixture.
In the first quarter of the Saints' win at Marvel Stadium, the play had stopped before Duncan elected to continue his tackle of Higgins, slinging him to the ground and causing Higgins' head to make contact with the Docklands turf. The MRO graded the act as careless, medium impact, and high contact.
Duncan will be sidelined for next week's game against the finals-contending Western Bulldogs, which will be Geelong's last of the season after having been eliminated from September contention due to Saturday's loss.