Brisbane's challenge of Zac Bailey's rough conduct charge at the AFL Tribunal has been unsuccessful, with the forward unable to face the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.
Bailey fronted the Tribunal on Tuesday evening after the club opted to challenge the one-match verdict from the MRO, with the bump on Carlton defender Nick Haynes graded as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Haynes managed to play out the remainder of the game, and has not received any delayed injury due to the incident.
The Lions (Adrian Anderson) contested the level of impact, seeing Bailey's bump as low impact rather than medium, resulting in a fine. Anderson contested that the bump was "to the body that involved an incidental head clash".
"The bump itself is to the body, and Bailey stays as low as he possibly can ... the circumstances of this bump are appropriate to be classified as low impact.
"This is not the type of bump which typically carries a higher potential injury."
Zac Bailey has received a one-game suspension for this incident involving Nick Haynes.
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Lions say there are seven cases this year that have been graded as low-impact bumps, which is what they want Bailey to be downgraded to here.
The AFL, led by counsel Andrew Woods, says the potential to cause injury means it should be graded as medium, given the "severe jolting" of Haynes' head as a result of the impact.
"Bailey accelerates and leans in with significant momentum and a forceful flush".
Woods (AFL) assessed all seven and says none are as forceful as Bailey's, hence the grading of medium impact.
"He turns his body, tucks his arm, leans in."
The Tribunal stated that the bump remained at medium impact, and had the potential to cause concussion and facial injury.
Tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson rejected Brisbane's seven examples of bumps this year that were graded as low, saying "none of the comparisons are closely similar".
The Tribunal's verdict means Bailey is unavailable for Brisbane's upcoming match against the Western Bulldogs.