Top St Kilda draft pick Alix Tauru has had his four-match suspension for rough conduct upheld, after a collision with Brisbane Lions VFL player Curtis McCarthy.
The uncapped key defender made front-on contact with his Lions opponent on the cusp of three-quarter time, with his elbow seemingly catching McCarthy above the shoulders.
FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
The VFL tribunal on Tuesday night upheld the ban, meaning Tauru will be unavailable across levels for the next four games.
“While we’re naturally disappointed with the outcome, we respect the decision of the VFL Tribunal and accept its findings,” Saints footy boss David Misson said in a statement.
“Alix showed a lot of promise in his first three VFL outings since returning from a lengthy stint on the sidelines with injury.
“We’ll support him through this period and ensure he’s ready to return when available.”
Tauru also respected the Tribunal’s ruling.
“It’s disappointing to be sidelined, but I respect the Tribunal’s decision. I also acknowledge the importance of minimising concussions in our game and send my best to Curtis as he recovers,” he said.
McCarthy appeared to lose consciousness before his head hits the turf after the awkward collision. The incident was graded by the VFL as careless, severe impact and high contact, with the Gippsland product unable to reduce his sentence with an early plea.
Tauru had been touted as a likely inclusion at AFL level in the coming weeks, even as soon as this week, but now looks almost certain to spend the majority of the next month sidelined.
The 18-year-old collected 17 disposals — nine intercepts, eight marks and five tackles in his side’s 49-point loss to Brisbane at RSEA Park on Saturday. The clash was arguably his best of three reserves games this season, having successfully returned from a long-term back injury that interrupted his pre-season and start to 2025.
He was taken with St Kilda’s 10th pick in the 2024 AFL National Draft.
Discussion about this post