Harvey gets 6.
NORTH Melbourne veteran Brent Harvey will miss the first six rounds next season after the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night upheld two striking charges from the elimination final loss to West Coast.
Harvey could have accepted a four-match ban from the Match Review Panel if he had entered early guilty pleas to striking offences against Eagles Daniel Kerr and Adam Selwood.
But in challenging the MRP's findings Harvey risked and, ultimately, received an extra two weeks on the sidelines.
The Kerr charge arose from an incident near three-quarter time in last Sunday's game when Harvey appeared to strike Kerr high with his elbow. Kerr fell to the ground momentarily but was soon back on his feet and played out the game.
The MRP assessed Harvey's conduct as intentional, medium impact and involving high contact, earning him 325 demerit points.
Harvey had 93.75 carryover demerit points that increased his penalty to 418.75 points. But an early plea would have reduced that to 314 points and a three-match suspension.
The Selwood charge arose from an incident in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's game, after which the Eagle was forced to leave the ground under the blood rule.
The MRP assessed Harvey's conduct as reckless, medium impact and involving high contact, earning him 225 demerit points and a two-match suspension.
However, an early guilty plea would have reduced that penalty to 168.75 points and a one-match suspension.
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