From the AFL:

Matthew Whelan, Melbourne, has been charged with a Level Three striking offence against Brendan Fevola, Carlton, during the third quarter of the Round Five match between Melbourne and Carlton, played at the MCG on Sunday April 20, 2008.

In summary, his two-match sanction can be reduced to one match with an early plea.

The incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points). This is a total of six activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Three offence, drawing 225 demerit points and a two-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of one match suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 10 per cent to 247.50 points. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 185.63 points and a one-match sanction.

Say it was a brain snap and he's gold!!

What crap!

Did brown get off for doing a miller?

challenge it and get fevola to say he didn't touch him, that combined with the fact he had a "brain snap" and he should be fine!

[censored]!!!

Obviously Foxtel didn't get a good angle of the incident cause the commentators laughed at the report and said there was nothing in it now he gets a week. What a joke put him in a Sydney jumper that will get him off.

What crap!

Did brown get off for doing a miller?

Brown's and Millers reports were completely different.

Brown actually looked as though he might've been going for the ball

The AFL uses Melbourne as an example yet again because we are a weak club and they know they will get no backlash from us. Pathetic.

farken AFL...they are ruining the game, too many changes, too many bad decisions...arghh!!! so frustrating

Well I would suspect that Whelan could take this one to the tribunal and hope to lower the 'intentional' conduct to either negligent or reckless which would lower the points. I can't believe that he got 2 weeks for that.

WE FINALLY get wheels back, and then BANG, he is out again.

We will get SMASHED at the gabba, we should give a kid a run in wheels' spot. Throw them in the deep end and see if they will swim.

you can add newton to the list. he accepted a one match ban for hitting mcglynn. this is from the demons website. im not too upset. many have accused him of being soft, perhaps it went to his head. but at least it looks as if he is showing some passion. or maybe im wrong. i dont know.

maybe he's like the soft kid at school who starts throwing hay makers then runs off crying?

you can add newton to the list. he accepted a one match ban for hitting mcglynn. this is from the demons website. im not too upset. many have accused him of being soft, perhaps it went to his head. but at least it looks as if he is showing some passion. or maybe im wrong. i dont know.

Throwing a punch and getting reported and suspended is not evidence that a footballer is a hard player. It just means he is stupid. Another example of dimwitted attitude from a player who could be more.

A big disappointment when so much opportunity is there to be had.

Has not got the internal fortitude to make it in AFL.

Well I would suspect that Whelan could take this one to the tribunal and hope to lower the 'intentional' conduct to either negligent or reckless which would lower the points. I can't believe that he got 2 weeks for that.

Yep, intentional is a bit rough.

It was silly, but he certainly didn't go into the fight thinking "I'm going to smack Fevola in the head".

We should challenge it, but we won't.

Throwing a punch and getting reported and suspended is not evidence that a footballer is a hard player. It just means he is stupid. Another example of dimwitted attitude from a player who could be more.

A big disappointment when so much opportunity is there to be had.

Has not got the internal fortitude to make it in AFL.

never said it made him a hard player. id hardly call him stupid for hitting a bloke, his actions at that particular moment may not have been ideal, but it hardly makes him stupid.

unfortunately we havent seen his best in the AFL. maybe one day he'll deliver, if not too bad. the bloke may not have the mental side for the game. just like some blokes dont have the talent. you need em both to be an elite AFL player.

Wow we are really gettin alot of [censored] luck

2 weeks is way harsh

our game is turning into a joke

melb havent contested a charge in i dont know how long so i guess its one week

at least he's not missing through injury...

One of my pet hates is players that lack discipline

these players let the team down big time

this misconception about striking someone being tough is so egotistical

Wow we are really gettin alot of [censored] luck

Didn't Fevola smack him around at some point first?

Or did I just misinterpret what was probably a congratulatory tap?

the hit was there.... but geez it was weak as [censored]... i dunno wat lovett got last year for his hit on dean cox or whoever .... but it was noooooooooo where near as bad. i reallly thought he would get off even with the way we get crucified.

From MELBOURNEfc this morning:

MELBOURNEfc’s Matthew Whelan will accept a one match suspension with an early guilty plea for striking Brendan Fevola, Carlton, during the third quarter of the Round Five match between Melbourne and Carlton, played at the MCG on Sunday April 20, 2008.

From the AFL:

Matthew Whelan, Melbourne, has been charged with a Level Three striking offence against Brendan Fevola, Carlton, during the third quarter of the Round Five match between Melbourne and Carlton, played at the MCG on Sunday April 20, 2008.

In summary, his two-match sanction can be reduced to one match with an early plea.

The incident was assessed as intentional conduct (three points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points). This is a total of six activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level Three offence, drawing 225 demerit points and a two-match sanction. He has an existing bad record of one match suspended within the last three years, increasing the penalty by 10 per cent to 247.50 points. An early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 185.63 points and a one-match sanction.

never said it made him a hard player. id hardly call him stupid for hitting a bloke, his actions at that particular moment may not have been ideal, but it hardly makes him stupid.

When we are aching for a forward to stand up and perform, he goes and snots someone in the VFL. Its plain dumb and just another let down surrounding this blokes judgment and attitude which is to often akin to a boiled egg.

unfortunately we havent seen his best in the AFL. maybe one day he'll deliver, if not too bad. the bloke may not have the mental side for the game. just like some blokes dont have the talent. you need em both to be an elite AFL player.

You both to be a regular AFL player.

There is the risk that we have seen the best of him given his displayed appetite for the succeeding at AFL level.

One of my pet hates is players that lack discipline

these players let the team down big time

this misconception about striking someone being tough is so egotistical

A gold watch to the man!

It was a dumbass act by Whelan who should know alot better. Really poor form by him especially being a senior player.

Disappointing and frustrating. I'm sick of our blokes getting rubbed out for silly brain fades, especially the senior players.

It's all well and good to whinge about preferential treatment to some clubs by the AFL. The simple answer is stop doing things they might be able to rub you out for.