Rioli sent to AFL tribunal, facing hefty ban

Port Adelaide forward Junior Rioli faces a lengthy suspension after being sent directly to the AFL tribunal for striking Essendon's Jordan Ridley.

Rioli went to put a block on for leading teammate Jeremy Finlayson during Sunday's Adelaide Oval match and threw out an arm which caught Ridley high.

The Bombers defender fell to the turf and had to be helped off the ground before he was substituted out of the match.

Essendon expect Ridley to miss multiple games because of concussion as a result of the off-the-ball incident.

On Monday, AFL match review officer Michael Christian graded Rioli's actions as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.

The AFL will argue Rioli should be banned for at least three matches, and possibly more.

The 27-year-old has kicked 10 goals in eight matches in his first season with Port Adelaide following a high-profile switch from West Coast.

It came after a turbulent few years, during which Rioli served a two-year doping suspension and pleaded guilty in court to drug possession.

Rioli's Power teammate Connor Rozee was fined $4000, which can be reduced to $2500 with an early guilty plea, for his third offence of making careless contact with an umpire.

Three other players will roll the dice at the tribunal on Tuesday as they attempt to have suspensions overturned.

Melbourne young gun Jacob van Rooyen will challenge a two-match ban for striking, while Carlton's Nic Newman and Geelong's Brad Close will contest one-match bans.

Van Rooyen's attempted spoil in a marking contest led to Gold Coast's Charlie Ballard being taken off the field on a stretcher.

The 20-year-old's action was considered careless conduct, high contact and high impact.

The grading resulted in a two-match ban that cannot be reduced with an early guilty plea.

Ballard was hurt but not concussed in the final-quarter incident at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday night.

"The club has reached out to the Gold Coast Suns, and pleasingly Ballard has recovered well and is expected to play this week," Melbourne said in a statement.

Newman was suspended for making contact to Lachie Neale's chin with his elbow during the Blues' loss to Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

The 2020 Brownlow medallist was given a free kick for the incident during the third quarter, with Brisbane players remonstrating with Newman.

The match review officer charged in-form small defender Newman with striking, graded as intentional, low impact and high contact.

"Newy's been massive for us this season - not just defensively but what he provides with the ball in his hand as well," teammate Adam Cerra said on Monday.

"We don't take it for granted ... we've got options if he is to miss but he will be missed."

Close was cited for a dangerous tackle on Adelaide's Jordan Dawson in Saturday's match at GMHBA Stadium.

Hawthorn's Tyler Brockman accepted his own one-match ban for a dangerous slinging tackle on Fremantle's Brandon Walker at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

The Close and Brockman incidents were both assessed as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.