Essendon star Sam Durham is facing a suspension after his bump struck the head of Carlton counterpart Adam Cerra.
The incident occurred at the start of the second quarter, with Durham turning his body and electing to bump Cerra, who had his head down to pick up the football.
Despite Cerra looking dazed by the collision, the Blues midfielder wasn't taken for a head injury assessment (HIA) until nearly 10 minutes after the incident.
However, in possible good news for Durham, Cerra passed the HIA and returned to the game to be one of Carlton's best players in the eight-point win.
MORE: Adam Cerra at fault for Sam Durham collision, claims James Hird
Cerra's condition will likely see Durham avoid a three-week-plus suspension, but is still likely to be offered one-to-two weeks by the AFL Match Review Officer.
"I'm glad we're looking after the head, but that is a technique issue that Sam Durham is going to get penalised for."
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) June 8, 2025
James Hird on the Durham-Cerra incident. #9FootyFurnace | Watch on Nine & 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/ZoFDz96MXc
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AFL pundit David King was critical of Durham's hit on Cerra, insisting it could have cause life-changing damage to the Carlton player.
“I get really frustrated with these sorts of actions, and I don’t have any empathy for the player. This has ‘wheelchair’ written all over it,” King said on Fox Footy.
“This is exactly why we need to stamp it out, and you can elevate it by one — you know what? I’m comfortable with two or three, the elevation.
“Because that’s just not on. Our game’s gone past that. I don’t know how much education you could put into these players, but the message is still not getting through to some.”