Najwa Allen sent to tribunal for bump on Kirsten McLeod, Madison Prespakis sling tackle, best and fairest hopes،
Premiership Crows defender Najwa Allen could be hit with the biggest suspension in AFLW history after being sent straight to court for a bump that left her opponent with a concussion.
It comes as Bombers star Madison Prespakis’ chances of winning a second best and fairest competition took a hit after she was given a match for rough conduct.
The AFL released its findings into the AFLW Round 7 match review on Monday, with Allen sent straight to court over a rough conduct charge against Western Bulldogs player Kirsten McLeod.
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Allen was attempting to lead the first quarter of Adelaide’s win on Friday night when his shoulder slammed into the face of McLeod, who was ruled out of the game before quarter-time with a concussion.
Allen’s charge was classified as high contact, serious impact and careless conduct, with the AFL recommending a suspension of at least three matches.
A three-match ban would constitute the largest suspension in AFLW history and rule Allen out for the remainder of the home and away season. She would be eligible to return for week one of the finals, with the Crows poised for a top-four finish.
Fellow Crow Ebony Marinoff received a three-match suspension following a pre-season match incident in 2021, only to have her suspension overturned on appeal.
Bulldogs coach Nathan Burke said after the match that his club would take a cautious approach with McLeod, who had previously been out for 18 months with a concussion before fracturing his leg in the seventh season.
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“She’s played about five or six (games) in a row — she hadn’t really played in two and a half years before that — so it’s a good run for her,” Burke told reporters.
“It’s something we’ll be watching very closely over the last three weeks… We certainly won’t rush it. We’re going to take it very slowly with her.
Allen, who played in the Crows’ season six grand final against Melbourne, missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury. She has been a mainstay of the Adelaide team since being drafted with Pick 37 in the 2019 draft.
Meanwhile, Prespakis was banned for one game on Monday for a tackle on Tiger Sarah Hosking.
Prespakis was charged with rough conduct against Hosking, with the tackle classified as reckless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Prespakis is a perennial pollster in the AFLW’s best and fairest tallies, winning the award in 2020 at the age of 19 before finishing fourth in the seventh season. If her ban stands, she will not be eligible to win this year’s highest individual honor.
The 22-year-old has played a significant role in Essendon’s rise to prominence this season, averaging a career-high 27.1 disposals.
Giant Rebecca Beeson was also handed a one-match suspension for rough conduct against St Kilda’s Tyanna Smith.
