Brisbane’s finals campaign has been rocked with defender Dee Heslop sent straight to the Tribunal to face the biggest ban in AFLW history.
Heslop was cited for a heavy tackle on Demon Rhi Watt in the opening term of the Lions’ dominant 25-point win on Saturday night.
The 22-year-old is facing at least three weeks on the sidelines – with fears her 2023 season will be over unless she can overturn the hefty sanction.
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Vision showed Heslop pin Watt’s arms as she was driven head-first into the Brighton Homes Arena turf.
The Match Review determined Heslop’s actions careless, with high contact and severe impact.
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While Watt was able to jog from the field with Melbourne trainers beside her, she later failed her concussion test and took no further part in the game.
“Rhi Watt watching on – that’s really bad luck for Rhi,” commentator Jason Bennett said.
“Just her second game for the season. Worked so hard to get an opportunity.”
It’s another injury blow for Watt, who now won’t feature in this weekend’s qualifying final against North Melbourne as part of the AFL’s concussion protocols.
The clash with Brisbane was just her second game for the Demons, after crossing from St Kilda early in 2022 while recovering from an ACL injury.
But she took no part in season seven before making her Melbourne debut last month.
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Brisbane are travelling to Adelaide this weekend to take on the minor premiers in the first qualifying final.
But they could also be without Charlotte Mullins who was cited for striking Melbourne’s Shelley Heath in the opening term.
She’s been handed a one-match ban after vision appeared to show the Rising Star nominee collect Heath with a stray elbow off the ball.
For the Crows, they’ll regain Najwa Allen – who just finished serving the equal longest AFLW ban – as she returns from her three-game suspension for her high shepherd.
