North Melbourne will be the third team to join what will be a busy week at the AFL tribunal.
The Kangaroos have decided to challenge ruckman Trisitian Xerri’s three-match ban handed down by the MRO yesterday.
The ruckman was following up after a throw-in when a flinging arm knocked out Melbourne midfielder Tom Sparrow in the Roos’ 36-point loss to the Demons.
The Kangaroos will try and dispute the careless conduct, severe impact and high contact verdict given by the MRO.
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Xerri’s coach, Alistair Clarkson, defended his big man in his post-match press conference after the game, saying accidents happen.
“When it’s a competitive game of footy and there’s a lot of numbers around the ball, sometimes accidents like that are going to happen,” Clarkson said.
Tristan Xerri has been offered a three-match ban for striking.
— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) July 14, 2025
The club has until tomorrow morning to decide whether to appeal the suspension.
📰: https://t.co/DvYBvLsp7a#Kangas pic.twitter.com/0aSaQgS7Oo
There were also calls by footy analysts that Xerri could claim it was accidental and not careless, which could help him at the tribunal.
Xerri will join Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra, who was sent to the tribunal for repeated umpire contact and Brisbane star Zac Bailey, who was given a one-match ban for high contact.
Cerra’s case will be a test case for players who have repeatedly collided with umpires, with a match suspension expected to be given for those who have more than four contacts with an umpire in a two-year period.
Cerra has received fines for previous umpire contact with stars such as Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell and St Kilda’s Jack McRae also close to a suspension.