Mark McVeigh is free to play in Sunday's big farewell game after the AFL Match Review Panel today assessed his contact with the Western Bulldogs' Brad Johnson from the second quarter of Friday's match.
 
It was the view of the panel the impact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence. No further action was taken.
 
Meanwhile, Essendon's  Danny Chartres has been upgraded from the rookie list in place of Courtney Johns who was already on the long-term injury list.
 
Chartres was an emergency for Friday night's game against the Bulldogs. That heads Essendon's involvement in the AFL news of the week.
 
PROGRAM OF MATCHES (all times are local)
 
Round Twenty Two

Friday August 29

Fremantle v Collingwood at Subiaco, 6.40pm; Curtain Raiser - Youth Girls, 5pm

Saturday August 30

North Melbourne v Port Adelaide at the MCG, 1.10pm

Geelong v West Coast at Skilled Stadium, 2.10pm; Curtain Raiser (VFL) - Geelong v Frankston, 10.40am

Adelaide v Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium, 3.40pm; Curtain Raiser - School Premier Cup Final, 1.35pm

Carlton v Hawthorn at Telstra Dome, 7.10pm

Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions at the SCG, 7.10pm

Sunday August 31

Melbourne v Richmond at the MCG, 2.10pm

Essendon v St Kilda at Telstra Dome, 4.40pm

IMPENDING MILESTONES

300 games - Shannon Grant, North Melbourne. Shannon is set to become the 57th player in the history of the game to reach 300 games. A full list of 300-game players can be found on page 548 of AFL 2008, excluding Brad Johnson, Andrew McLeod and Shane Crawford, who reached the milestone earlier this season. Shannon will be the third quickest player in history to reach 300 games at 13 years and 150 days since his debut, behind ony Mark Ricciuto (13 years and 81 days) and Craig Bradley (13 years and 94 days). He will also be the fifth youngest player in history to reach 300 games at 31 years and 133 days, behind only Simon Madden (30 years and 233 days), Mark Ricciuto (31 years and 43 days), Russell Greene (31 years and 76 days) and Nathan Burke (31 years and 102 days).

Automatic AFL Life Membership - Adem Yze, Melbourne. Adem is due to qualify for automatic AFL Life Membership this week with his 300th official game since his debut in 1995, comprising 270 premiership matches, 25 pre-season matches and four International Rules matches.

100 games - David Hale, North Melbourne

100 club games - Des Headland, Fremantle

50 games - Jordan Russell, Carlton

50 games - Nathan Jones, Melbourne

TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

The expected process for the 2008 AFL Season under the AFL Match Review system is that the AFL will issue a media release late on the Monday afternoon after each round detailing the penalties to be offered to players for incidents from that round of matches, or the reasons why no further action was to be taken.

The clubs and players then have until 11am on the Tuesday morning to decide whether to accept the penalty on offer, or whether they wish to contest the charge at a Tribunal hearing, to usually be held on the Tuesday night. The AFL will formally detail all instances on the Tuesday of whether cases will proceed to the Tribunal or not.

Match Review Panel Chairman Andrew McKay will not be available to media queries, as he and his team assess all games and consider all incidents. The following players were reported from the weekend's matches:

The following players were reported from the weekend's matches:

Chris Knights, Adelaide, reported by umpire Gavin Large for making forceful contact from front-on against Shane Birss, St Kilda, during the fourth quarter of the Round 21 match between Adelaide and St Kilda, played at Telstra Dome on Sunday August 24, 2008..

reported by umpire Gavin Large for making forceful contact from front-on against Shane Birss, St Kilda, during the fourth quarter of the Round 21 match between Adelaide and St Kilda, played at Telstra Dome on Sunday August 24, 2008..

TRIBUNAL HEARING LOCATION

The AFL Tribunal is held in the AFL media room on Level LB2 at Telstra Dome. The AFL wishes to advise that all media covering the Tribunal hearings at Telstra Dome need to park in the B2 car park (entry off the Bourke St extension) and report to Telstra Dome security to gain admittance via the internal ring road. There will be no access via AFL House to any AFL Tribunal hearing through the season, as our offices will have closed by 6pm each day.

AFL LONG TERM INJURY LIST

The AFL wishes to advise the following changes have been made to club lists over the last seven days, under the long-term injury list rules.

Brisbane Lions - upgraded Pearce Hanley from the rookie list in place of Matthew Leuenberger, who was already on the long-term injury list.

Collingwood - upgraded Brent Macaffer from the rookie list in place of Sean Rusling, who was already on the long-term injury list.

Essendon - upgraded Danny Chartres from the rookie list in place of Courtney Johns, who was already on the long-term injury list.

2008 NAB AFL DRAFT KEY DATES

The AFL wishes to advise the key dates for the 2008 NAB AFL Draft / Trading period are as follows (all times are EST):

Tue Sept 30 - Commencement of 2008 Draft Camp, AIS Canberra.

Fri Oct 3 - Conclusion of 2008 Draft Camp.

Fri Oct 3, 2pm - Father / son nominations lodged with AFL.

Sat Oct 4 - Victorain State Screening Session, Monash University.

Mon Oct 6, 10am - Father / son bidding meeting (Telstra Dome).

Mon Oct 6 - Commencement of 2008 AFL Exchange Period.

Fri Oct 10, 2pm - Conclusion of 2008 AFL Exchange Period.

Sat Oct 11 - South Australian State Screening Session, SA Institute of Sport.

Sun Oct 12 - Western Australian State Screening Session, University of WA.

Fri Oct 31, 2pm - Club List Lodgement List 1 - Maximum 35 players, rookie promotion, retained rookies, scholarship player transfer and international scholarship.

Tue Nov 11, 2pm - Uncontracted listed players nominate.

Wed Nov 12, 2pm - Draft nominations close.

Fri Nov 14, 2pm - List Lodgement 2.

Wed Nov 19, 2pm - Delisted players nominate.

Sat Nov 29, 10am - 2008 NAB AFL Draft selection meeting (Telstra Dome).

Tue Dec 2, 10am - Nomination of scholarship-listed player and international scholarship-listed player to rookie list.

Tue Dec 2, 10am - Nomination of an international player and a player not registered for three years.

Tue Dec 2, 2pm - Uncontracted listed players nominate.

Wed Dec 3, 3pm - List Lodgement 3 and TPP Estimates.

Tue Dec 9, 2pm - Delisted players nominate.

Tue Dec 16, 10am - 2008 NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft selection meeting (microsoft live meeting).

Tue Dec 16, 10.15am - Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans nominate eligible rookie list players.

Tue Dec 16, 10.15am - Nomination of third-year rookies.

Tue Dec 16, 10.30am - 2008 NAB AFL Rookie Draft selection meeting (microsoft live meeting).

2008 INTERNATIONAL CUP

The third Australian Football International Cup commences this week on Wednesday August 27. 16 nations will compete over the next two weeks with matches played in Royal Park (Melbourne), Geelong and Warrnambool. Media is invited to attend matches. A media centre is available at Royal Park. AFL media accreditation is only required for the grand final match on September 6.

Round 1: Wednesday August 25 - Royal Park (McAlister, Ransford and Western Ovals – off Brunswick Road, Royal Park).

Round 2: Friday August 29 – Royal Park and Saturday August 30 – South Africa v Denmark – St Mary’s, Geelong

Round 3: Monday September 1 – Warrnambool (Albert Park)

Round 4: Wednesday September 3 – Warrnambool (Albert Park)

Round 5: Friday September 5 – Royal Park

Grand Final: Saturday September 6 – venue TBC