Ella Heads banned for three matches for bump that broke McNamara's jaw
Port Adelaide defender Ella Heads has been banned for three AFLW matches for the front-on bump that fractured Melbourne midfielder Eliza McNamara's jaw.
The Match Review graded the incident as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, according to ABC. It happened in the Melbourne v Port Adelaide match. Three matches is a heavy penalty in a 12-round home-and-away season.
McNamara had just fired off a handball, punching the ball to a teammate, when Heads arrived front-on. Heads made contact with her right shoulder. McNamara was slow to get up. She left the field with club physios, dazed and with blood coming from her face, and did not return.
The 24-year-old was taken to hospital. The early concern was a suspected fractured jaw, reported by AFL.com.au. That diagnosis was later confirmed. Melbourne said on Monday that McNamara had undergone surgery, with no timeline set for her return.
Heads will miss games against Sydney, the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide unless Port Adelaide challenges the charge and gets it downgraded. A quarter of the season on the sidelines. It is the cost of choosing to bump in that position.
Two other players were also suspended from the round. Richmond's Montana McKinnon received a one-match rough conduct ban over an incident with St Kilda's Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw. West Coast's Abbygail Bushby received one match for her collision with Brisbane Lion Sophie Peters.
For fans, this is the sharp edge of the game. The bump is legal when it is side-on and aimed at the torso. Front-on contact to the head carries the biggest risk, and the tribunal treats it that way.
