Melbourne superstar Kysaiah Pickett has avoided suspension for tripping Collingwood enforcer Brayden Maynard during the Demons' thrilling King's Birthday win over the Magpies on Monday. Best-on-ground in the contest, Pickett was staring at a potential spell on the sidelines but will instead receive a $3000 fine, ensuring his availability for Melbourne's clash with Essendon on Saturday.
Maynard injury and tribunal outcome
Maynard dislocated his shoulder when landing awkwardly following the trip from Pickett. The incident was assessed by the Match Review Officer, who deemed the action as careless conduct with low impact, resulting in the monetary penalty rather than a suspension.
Frampton's three-match ban
Collingwood defender Billy Frampton was not as fortunate, hit with a three-match ban for a tackle that left former teammate Brody Mihocek with a fractured neck. Frampton's second-quarter tackle on the Demons forward was classified as careless, severe impact and high contact. Collingwood is expected to challenge the sanction at the tribunal, but if unsuccessful, Frampton will miss games against Port Adelaide, Richmond, and Gold Coast.
Collingwood defender Harry Perryman expressed concern for both Mihocek and Frampton. "A lot of us are good mates with Checkers (Mihocek) and we just hope he's OK," Perryman told AAP. "We wrapped our arms around Billy because he was pretty rattled by it all."
Mihocek's recovery
Play was held up for 10 minutes before Mihocek was taken off the ground and sent to hospital in an ambulance. The Collingwood forward has already undergone surgery on his fractured neck and was up and walking on Tuesday, providing a positive update on his recovery.
