Lewis Johnston is free to play in Showdown XXXVI after being cleared of a rough conduct charge.
Johnston was reported for rough conduct on Geelong forward Steve Johnson at Simonds Stadium on Thursday night. However, the Match Review Panel has since deemed the neat-kicking forward has no case to answer for.
The match day report laid against the Adelaide’s LewisJohnston for forceful contact from front-on against the Geelong's SteveJohnson was assessed. The panel said the ball had been kicked intoAdelaide’s forward line when it was spoiled to the ground. Geelong’s CoreyEnright won the ball and handballed towards his teammate Johnson, who hadthe ball bounce in front of him. As Johnson was bending down to collect theball, his opponent Johnston was coming to the contest and turned sideways andmade high contact.
It was the view of the panel, after speaking to the umpirewho laid the match-day report, as well as reviewing all available footage andreceiving a medical report from Geelong, that the force used in the contact wasbelow that required to constitute a reportable offence. No further action wastaken.
Playing his ninth AFL game, Johnston kicked three goals against the Cats.