North Shore is facing the prospect of being without coach Mark Hounslow for the majority of the remainder of the GFNL season.
Hounslow, who is in his second year in charge at Windsor Park, has been offered a six-match suspension by AFL Barwon’s Match Review Panel over an alleged incident following the Seagulls’ 25-point loss to Leopold at Memorial Park.
He was charged with using abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language towards or in relation to an umpire.
If Hounslow accepts the ban, he would be unable to coach again until Round 17. It is understood that North Shore’s executive has met tonight (Monday) to discuss its position on the matter.
In terms of the scoreline, Saturday’s loss was the Seagulls’ best performance of a so far winless campaign.
Hounslow is the first senior coach in the region to be cited by the MRP since former Lara coach Matt Kershaw was fined $1000 following an incident after the 2013 elimination final.
It wasn’t the only charge laid from the clash, with Leopold and North Shore fined $225 each following a final-quarter melee.
Also in the GFNL, Colac’s Ethan Liddle has been offered a one-match suspension for striking former Geelong West teammate Angus Codd in the Tigers’ win over the Giants at Australian Lamb Company Stadium.
The second-quarter incident was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact, and high contact, attracting a two-match sanction.
However, an early guilty plea from the Geelong VFL-listed Liddle will see the ban halved, and he will only miss this week’s meeting with North Shore.
Codd can accept a reprimand for striking Liddle, with that incident graded as intentional conduct, low impact, and body contact.
Giants spearhead Lachie Horniblow can accept a reprimand for instigating a melee, which has cost both clubs $500.
From St Mary’s win over Grovedale, Saint Paddy Dowling has been cleared of rough conduct on Tigers veteran Nathan Deans, and Grovedale midfielder Billy Ford has no case to answer for making contact with an umpire.
In the Bellarine, Barwon Heads young gun Cooper Ward can escape with a reprimand after being charged with rough conduct on Ocean Grove defender Hugo Walsh.
While in the GDFNL, Corio’s Hayden Burns has been offered a one-week suspension for rough conduct on Werribee Centrals captain Michael Culliver.
However, the Devil was cleared of rough conduct on an unknown player.
Geelong West and North Geelong have been fined $475 apiece for a melee in the clash at Scaada Stadium, while Giants veteran Mick Leamer was cleared of alleged rough conduct on Magpies Jasper George.
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