24/06/2008 12:44 PM
Sydney's dual Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes will miss his first AFL match this decade after accepting the one-match suspension handed to him by the match review panel for rough conduct against Melbourne's Clint Bartram.
Goodes will miss the Swans' big Round 14 home clash against Collingwood in the second half of the split round, ending his chances of breaking Melbourne's Jim Stynes' record for consecutive games.
The Swans chose not to risk the possibility of Goodes - who has been considered lucky to avoid suspension on three other charges over the past year which led Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews to label him a 'protected species' earlier this season - copping a two-match suspension if he unsuccessfully challenged his ban at the AFL tribunal.
But the tribunal will still sit on Tuesday night after Adelaide's 2006 All-Australian defender Nathan Bassett chose to challenge a one-match ban for striking Brisbane's Jed Adcock.
Bassett has nothing to lose by challenging his ban as he was still facing a one-match suspension regardless of whether or not he accepted the charge but he is now risking 140 points instead of 105 points.
His clash with Adcock was assessed as negligent conduct, low impact and high contact.
Goodes, meanwhile, will see his run of unbroken games end at 204 but is available for the Swans' Round 15 clash with Hawthorn at the MCG which he would have missed had he copped a two-match ban.
The clash against the Pies will be the first game Goodes has missed since Round 21, 1999. Only Melbourne pair Adem Yze (226 games from 1997 to 2007) and Stynes (244 from 1987-98) have played more games in a row.
Port's Matt Thomas also accepted a one-match ban for engaging in rough conduct against Richmond veteran Joel Bowden while Fremantle ruckman Matthew Warnock accepted a reprimand for charging St Kilda's Luke Ball, leaving him free to play against Essendon on Sunday at Subiaco.