TURVEY Park's committee opted to cite Collingullie-Glenfield Park player Jack Thompson-Gardener for an incident which has sidelined youngster Luke Mazzocchi with a back injury.
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Thompson-Gardener, who played for Turvey Park last year, took the early plea, which reduced his suspension from two weeks to one, after he was issued a rough conduct charge from the third quarter incident in the Demons' victory.
Bulldogs coach Michael Mazzocchi, also the father of the 16-year-old who made his senior debut this year, said the decision was made by the committee to take the matter further.
"That was done at committee level. It's one of those things, it seems like weekly we have a strike or something against our young players, and I think the club is making a bit of a stand now where if you choose to do it, we're not going to put up with it.
"He was lucky he was able to turn his body enough to land on his shoulder, and not on his neck."
Luke Mazzocchi is expected to miss about a month of football, but it is hoped he will return to action in time for the second-placed Bulldogs' finals campaign in the under-17.5 division.
"We've had x-rays and there's no spinal injuries or anything like that," Mazzocchi said on Wednesday.
"The physio's said he can't move at the moment, it's one where the body shuts down the muscles to protect the spine, but over the next few days he should get his movement back and be right to go."
The Bulldogs sit two games outside the top five after a horror first half at Maher Oval on Saturday, where the Demons enjoyed a 46-point lead at the main break.
It means they have no more wiggle room before Saturday's must-win trip to Leeton-Whitton.
Truman Carroll is also out for the year after having surgery on a broken finger he sustained against the Demons, while youngster Angus Curry has returned to Melbourne for school.
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