North Melbourne co-captain Jy Simpkin has been flattened by a late hit in a pre-season hitout on Sunday, with St Kilda's Jimmy Webster set to face scrutiny from the match review officer over the incident.
Simpkin was left dazed after being caught by high Webster - who had leaped into the contact, after disposing of the ball going inside fifty during the first quarter of the match.
A scuffle between players kicked off before Simpkin left the ground with trainers and was quickly ruled out of the rest of the contest.
Jy Simpkin has left the field following this bump from Jimmy Webster.#AFLSaintsNorth pic.twitter.com/UGDuSh7emB
— AFL (@AFL) March 3, 2024
With the Roos round one game against GWS not until March 16, the 25 year-old Indigenous star could still feature for his side under the AFL's minimum concussion protocols.
Simpkin was already battling some injury, taking the field in a protective glove on Sunday after tearing a tendon in his finger.
The extent of the latest knock, including expected sanctions against Webster, is set to become clearer in the coming days.
Last week, Port bull Sam Powell-Pepper was handed a four-match ban for a high bump on an opposition player during a practice match late last month.
More to come.
