AFL captain Zach Merrett cleared in high contact incident, staying eligible for Brownlow Medal.

Essendon captain Zach Merrett was cleared by the AFL after a high contact incident with Sydney's Nick Blakey, keeping him eligible for the Brownlow Medal. The Match Review Officer ruled that Merrett's actions did not violate duty of care rules. Meanwhile, Adelaide's Mark Keane was also cleared for an incident with Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson. Port Adelaide hopes to have Willie Rioli back for their next game against Geelong.