The Match Review findings from Saturday’s round 24 games are in
Rory Laird and Jake Soligo during Adelaide’s game against Richmond in R13, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos
ADELAIDE pair Rory Laird and Jake Soligo are in the clear for the first week of finals, but West Coast midfielder Liam Baker has been banned and is set to miss the first game of next season.
Crows skipper Jordan Dawson, meanwhile, is walking a finals tightrope after being charged with a third offence for umpire contact.
Laird and Soligo would have had a nervous 24 hours after both were involved in incidents against North Melbourne on Saturday that were looked at by the Match Review Officer; Soligo for a dump tackle on Tristan Xerri and Laird for an off-the-ball hit on Zac Banch.
But both men have avoided suspension and instead been hit with financial sanctions, meaning they will be free to play Adelaide’s home qualifying final in two weeks.
Dawson has copped a $5000 fine, which can be reduced to $3125 with an early guilty plea, for a third offence of careless contact with an umpire, meaning he could be sent to the Tribunal and possibly even suspended if he transgresses again in September.
In June, the AFL announced a crackdown on umpire contact and warned repeat offenders could even be suspended.
Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra was the first test case of the crackdown last month when he was sent to the Tribunal for a fourth umpire contact offence, but he escaped with a heftier fine instead of a ban.
Baker, meanwhile, has been cited for a high bump on Sydney star Chad Warner in Saturday night’s game in Perth.
The Eagle clipped Warner high in the second quarter, although the Swan did not receive a free kick for the incident.
The rough conduct charge has been assessed as careless, medium impact and high contact, triggering a one-match ban.
Unless the Eagles successfully challenge the ban, Baker will miss the opening game of the 2026 season.