Melbourne forward Tom Bugg has been handed a six-match ban following his strike on Sydney youngster Callum Mills on Friday night.
Bugg was reported in the opening minutes of Melbourne's 35-point loss to the Swans at the MCG, following an incident that saw Mills helped from the ground with concussion, before he was ruled out of returning to the match.
Tomas Bugg has been reported for this strike on Callum Mills. #AFLDeesSwans pic.twitter.com/ADWjAjpC5e
— AFL (@AFL) June 30, 2017
The 24-year-old was referred straight to the tribunal by the Match Review Panel on Monday night, after they deemed the incident as intentional conduct with high impact to the head.
Bugg will miss Melbourne's matches against Carlton, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, North Melbourne, GWS and St Kilda.
"I want to apologise to Callum Mills, his family, the Sydney Swans, the AFL and the wider community," Bugg told reporters outside AFL House on Tuesday morning.
"I'm standing here tonight very embarrassed by my actions. I fully accept the sanction that's been served.
"I'm feeling very embarrassed and going forward I've got a lot of work to do to earn back the respect of my captains, my fellow players and my coaches."
"My call to Callum was very genuine and to see if he was OK and if his family was travelling OK."
"I'm really embarrassed by what I did on Friday night and I accept full responsibility for my actions.
"I'm looking forward to just working over the next six weeks to earn back respect from my club, players and everyone in the wider community."
