TAYLOR Duryea’s career will end prematurely unless he can overturn a three-match ban at the VFL Tribunal.
Duryea, a two-time premiership player at Hawthorn, announced last month that the 2025 season will be his last.
However, the 34-year-old had hoped to play out the season with Footscray in the VFL, but those plans look set to be scuppered by a three-match ban he picked up on Saturday.
Duryea was involved in an off-the-ball incident with Frankston’s Bailey Lambert in the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ huge qualifying final win at Mission Whitten Oval.
The off-the-ball incident was only partially picked up by the broadcast cameras, but Frankston players could be seen remonstrating with Duryea while Lambert lay on the turf.
Lambert was eventually helped to his feet and walked from the ground in the hands of trainers.
Duryea has been charged with rough conduct and offered a three-match ban. With the Bulldogs now through to a preliminary final, Duryea would need to reduce the ban to one game in order to play in the Grand Final.
It wasn’t the only monster suspension to come from that game, with Frankston’s George Grey facing a ban of up to five games at the Tribunal for an incident involving Bulldog Anthony Scott.
At a stoppage in the second quarter, Grey blocked the run of Scott and the Bulldogs player – who has played 59 senior games for the club – lay on the turf for some time afterwards before play was stopped.
A stretcher was sent out to him, but Scott was able to get to his feet and leave the ground in the hands of medical staff.
The Bulldogs and Southport progressed to the preliminary finals with wins on Saturday, while Box Hill will play Brisbane and Frankston will take on Casey in the semi-finals this weekend.
