Essendon forward Peter Wright has a nervous wait ahead of him following a collision with Sydney's Harry Cunningham.
During the opening quarter, fans and onlookers can see Wright head toward a ball in a marking contest and immediately brace for impact when expecting contact.
Cunningham, courageously, goes back with the flight of the ball and is subsequently collected by the former Sun.
Harry Cunningham has come from the ground after this collision with Peter Wright.#AFLSwansDons pic.twitter.com/e3OqI5FnJN
— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 23, 2024
The 30-year-old failed to get up and ultimately was stretchered off the field.
Cunningham suffered a concussion and will enter the mandatory 12 days but could see a longer stint on the sidelines given the severity of the clash.
Swans teammates remonstrated in support, with forward Tom Papley labelling Essendon's physicality as a "facade".
โ(Peter Wright is) going to have a nice holiday,โ Papley told 3AW Footballย post-game.
โBrad Scott has come out and said it's the Essendon way.
โYou can pretend to be tough but you still need to win the ball and win the gameโฆit's all a facade I think.
โYou can be tough and do all that stuff, but you've still got to be able to play four quarters,โ Papley said.
โThey were hitting us behind the play and things like that. They're trying to do that stuff and I don't know if it's them or not.
Wright's decision to brace for contact and collect could result in a four-week suspension.
Likened to Sam Powell-Pepper's bump in the pre-season, the Bombers could be looking at careless conduct, high contact and a severe impact charge.
Powell-Pepper received a month-long ban.
Coach Brad Scott threw his support behind Wright and suggested there was no malice or intent behind the collision.
"I can't comment on issues that might be before the MRO," Scott said.
"I'm not going to talk about the incident but the only thing I can say is Peter Wright is a well-known ball player. He always has been, since he was a kid."
If Wright were to cop a four-week suspension, he would be available for selection for the ANZAC Day clash with Collingwood.
However, the Bombers, who will likely challenge the ban, can use the findings from a Tom Lynch incident just over 12 months ago.
Peter Wrightโs contact with Harry Cunningham tonight is either 3+ or zero.
Thereโs definite grey area.This is a similar incident. Wright clearly had more time than Lynchโฆ but the Tribunal threw this one out just 12 months ago (1/2) https://t.co/Sz4wuDWFxD
— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) March 23, 2024
Lynch was able to get off without any suspension, proving to be a "grey area" in tribunal findings.
However, the AFL has admitted to taking a stronger stance against avoidable contact, with more of an onus on the players engaging in a contest.
