Sports

Fyfe suspended by AFL tribunal, out of Brownlow contention

Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe will be ineligible for the 2018 Brownlow Medal after his one-week suspension was upheld by the AFL tribunal.

Fyfe, the 2015 Brownlow Medal winner, was found guilty by the AFL tribunal of making intentional contact with the head of Collingwood's Levi Greenwood.

He had been hoping to have the charge downgraded from intentional and had entered a guilty plea to careless conduct.

Fyfe will miss the Dockers' fixture with Adelaide in Perth on Sunday.

The Dockers superstar had been favourite to win the game's highest individual honour.

AFL match review officer Michael Christian assessed Fyfe's crude forearm to the head of Greenwood as intentional conduct with low impact to the head.

Nick Tweedie QC entered a guilty plea to careless conduct on Fyfe's behalf, who appeared via video link from Perth.

nat fyfe walking off the field with the Dockers.

Fyfe told the tribunal his action was an instinctive response to protect himself when he saw Greenwood's fist coming towards his face.

The Dockers showed four video examples of careless conduct during the hour-long hearing at Docklands.

But the jury upheld his one-match ban after a lengthy 23 minutes of deliberation.

The 26-year-old had been sitting atop the Brownlow Medal betting charts, having averaged just more than 30 possessions across 11 matches and booting eight goals this season.

He did not risk a longer ban if he was unsuccessful. Fremantle will also be required to pay a fee of $10,000.

Fyfe was ineligible for the 2014 Brownlow because of suspension.

ABC/AAP

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