Football Australia’s independent Match Review Panel (MRP) has confirmed five player suspensions after assessing several red cards issued across both Round 26 of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, and Round 22 of the Ninja A-League Women.
The MRP, consisting of Simon Micallef (Chair), Alan Davidson and Con Diomis, convened on Monday afternoon to consider four separate direct red cards brandished across the weekend’s A-Leagues action.
In the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, Central Coast Mariners defender Storm Roux received a three-game ban after elbowing Newcastle Jets defender Callum Timmins in the chest during Saturday night’s F3 Derby.
The MRP determined Roux committed the offence of “assault on a player (e.g. violent conduct when not challenging for the ball) or against any other person other than a match official, including an attempt to assault”, and proposed a three-game suspension as a result, being the minimum sanction for the offence (two games) plus one additional match.
Roux has until 2pm AEST on Tuesday, April 15 to advise Football Australia whether he wishes to refer the matter to the independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.
The Mariners have just two games left to play in the regular season and having already been ruled out of contention for a place in the Finals Series, Roux’s suspension – if he does not appeal the verdict – will sideline him for the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season.
In the Ninja A-League Women, three players received multi-week bans after an eventful Round 22.
Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Sham Khamis and Brisbane Roar forward Laini Freier will both serve two-game suspensions for their respective roles in a fracas that occurred during first-half stoppage time of Sunday’s 4-4 draw between the two sides.
The MRP determined both players had committed the offence of: “assault on a player (e.g. violent conduct when not challenging for the ball) or against any other person other than a match official, including an attempt to assault.”
Rounding out the bans confirmed by the MRP following the weekend’s A-Leagues action, Jets forward Sheridan Gallagher received a one-game suspension after collecting two yellow cards in the first half of Friday night’s clash with City.
Gallagher was issued an indirect red card after the pair of cautions and will serve a mandatory one-game ban.
