Essendon's Courtenay Dempsey is likely to miss the last game of the season and perhaps some of the next one - if the out-of-contract defender plays in 2016 - after the match review panel referred his sling tackle on Richmond's Brett Deledio straight to the tribunal.
The panel assessed Dempsey's rough conduct charge on Deledio – in which he appeared to strip the star Tiger of the ball, lift him into the air and then sling him into the turf backwards – as "careless" conduct and "severe" impact to the head.
There was no early guilty plea available to the Bombers player, who is a free agent and has not yet been offered a contract for next season.
Richmond ruled out a concussion for Deledio, however the Tigers vice-captain did sustain a jarred neck.
North Melbourne's Shaun Atley was cleared for the heavy tackle he laid on Western Bulldog Lachie Hunter during Saturday's game at Etihad Stadium.
The panel deemed Atley's tackle to be "careless" conduct but not worthy of a suspension because the impact Hunter made with the ground was considered insufficient.
Atley lifted Hunter in the tackle, but then appeared to turn the Bulldog on his side as he sent him towards ground. Hunter hit the turf with his right shoulder – as opposed to his head – and was awarded a free kick.
The dangerous nature of sling tackles has been a talking point all season, with Carlton star Bryce Gibbs receiving a two-match suspension for his tackle on Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray in June.
In other match review panel news, Geelong veterans Steve Johnson and James Kelly will be free to play the final game of the season – and possibly their last for Geelong – after they were offered $1000 fines for separate incidents in Friday night's match against Collingwood.
