HAYDEN Ballantyne will miss the next two weeks after Fremantle coach Ross Lyon confirmed the club would not challenge the decision handed down by the match review panel.

 

Ballantyne was charged with rough conduct on Geelong defender Harry Taylor in the last quarter of the Dockers' 44-point win over the Cats at Simonds Stadium on Sunday. 

 

 

The small forward received a two-match ban for the contact – deemed careless with medium impact to Taylor's head – but the charge was upgraded to three weeks because of his poor disciplinary record.

 


Ballantyne was rubbed out for one match on two separate occasions last season. The ban would be reduced to two matches with an early guilty plea.

 

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon told 6PR on Monday night the club would accept the decision.

 

"No, there'll be no appeal," Lyon said. 

 

"It's two weeks, that'll go by pretty quick. It was a split second decision. It all happened really quickly. At the end of the day we'd prefer Hayden playing than not playing but someone else gets an opportunity."

 

It is the seventh time Ballantyne has been suspended in his 108-match career, but Lyon said he is supportive of the way his aggressive forward plays.

 

"I love the way Hayden plays," Lyon said.

 

"But they haven't made a perfect player yet. We all try and improve our decision-making. I'm fully supportive of Hayden."

 

Lyon said Hayden Crozier and Tendai Mzungu would come into consideration to replace Ballantyne for Sunday's western derby.

 

The pair travelled to Geelong last weekend but did not play. Mzungu worked his way back from a hamstring injury he suffered during the NAB Challenge and was forced to come back via the WAFL last week.

 

Crozier has been an emergency for each of the first two rounds despite good form during the pre-season.

 

Lyon said youngsters Connor Blakely, Lachie Weller and Ed Langdon would also be considered after some strong performances for Peel Thunder in the past three weeks.

 

Ruckman Zac Clarke is battling ongoing soreness in his knee but Lyon said the club was not overly concerned. The Dockers have Jon Griffin, Jack Hannath and Michael Apeness ready to step up should Clarke fail to be fit to face West Coast.