Boom Carlton recruit Zac Williams will miss the round-one blockbuster against Richmond after failing to overturn his one-match suspension at the AFL Tribunal.
The former Greater Western Sydney defender was offered a one-match ban for jumping off the ground and catching St Kilda's Hunter Clark with a high bump during a practice match last Thursday.
The hit left Clark dazed, but he was cleared by the club doctor to return and was able to play out the match.
The AFL's match review officer Michael Christian graded the incident as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Carlton pleaded guilty to the careless conduct and high-contact aspects, but club lawyer Peter O'Farrell argued the incident should be graded as low impact instead of medium.
O'Farrell said the fact Clark had to undergo a concussion test shouldn't mean the incident is automatically graded as medium impact.
He also said the fact Clark was cleared of concussion and was able to return within 10 minutes was proof the hit was low impact.
AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson said it was merely "good fortune" Clark didn't suffer a more serious injury like a concussion or facial damage.
"That type of bump is a roll of the dice," Gleeson said.
Gleeson pointed out when Williams unleashed the hit, he had considerable momentum, had left the ground and instinctively turned his own face away to avoid injury to himself.
The AFL Tribunal jury upheld the medium-impact aspect, saying the hit had the potential to cause injury and Clark stumbled as he got up and flexed his jaw.
The loss of Williams is a huge blow to Carlton's hopes of ending a 10-match losing streak to Richmond.
Australian Associated Press
