SYDNEY veteran Luke Parker will be unavailable for the next six games after he was hit with a monster ban by the VFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
The midfielder was sent straight to the Tribunal following an incident against Frankston on Friday night at Kinetic Stadium.
Parker was charged with rough conduct after he elected to bump Dolphin Josh Smith late, leaving him with significant facial fractures and concussion that will sideline him for between six and eight weeks.
The incident was graded as careless, severe impact and high contact.
With the Swans having a bye in both the AFL and VFL next week, a six-game ban would mean the earliest Parker could return to the senior side would be the round 18 game against North Melbourne.
Swans advocate Nick Kidd used GPS data to argue Parker was barely at walking speed when he bumped Smith, to block him from the next contest.
He also used a series of still images from the video footage to contend Smith's injuries were from an accidental clash of heads, immediately after Parker had bumped him.
In his evidence, Parker said he had contacted Smith to apologise and check on his welfare.
"It was no intention of mine to make contact with his head," Parker said.
But VFL advocate Morgan McLay argued Parker had breached his duty of care to Smith in the incident and deserved the six-week ban.
"There's a clear need to protect the head. Everyone's worst fears have occurred," McLay said of the injuries to Smith.
Parker hasn't played at AFL level this season after breaking his forearm in a practice match against Greater Western Sydney in the pre-season, but has returned with a bang in a series of strong VFL performances.
Parker has averaged almost 30 disposals a game in his four VFL appearances to date and was again brilliant against Frankston, collecting 26 disposals, nine tackles and nine clearances.
Despite his strong form at the lower level, the three-time Bob Skilton Medallist has been unable to break back into John Longmire's best 23, with the Swans' midfield a key reason why Sydney is six points clear on top of the ladder after round 10.
Coach John Longmire said earlier on Tuesday that there was no malice or frustration in Parker's hit.
"He's not a player with any malice in him at all. He plays hard, tough football. He went to block a player, it didn't work out well. He actually hit the back of his (Parker's) head and damage was done to the back of his head," Longmire said.
"We really feel for Josh and the Frankston players because it really impacted them as well, which (Parker) feels badly about."
