Fletcher will miss Friday night's clash against St Kilda at Colonial Stadium after he was found guilty of tripping Brisbane’s Craig McRae during last Saturday night's match at the Gabba.
On a slightly better note, however, Fletcher was cleared of a separate video charge of tripping the Lions’ Craig Bolton.
Fletcher denied the McRae tripping charge, saying his legs had been planted firmly at the time of the incident and that it was more a case of the Brisbane player falling after he had made contact with Fletcher’s legs. McRae also said he didn’t feel his stumble had been caused by contact with Fletcher.
But umpire Mark Nash told the tribunal he believed Fletcher had deliberately tripped McRae. He said he was only 10 metres from the incident at the time.
Fletcher’s suspension means he will join fellow Premiership players Michael Long, Joe Misiti, Mark Mercuri, Steve Alessio, Blake Caracella, Justin Blumfield and Dean Wallis on the sidelines this weekend, with John Barnes and Gary Moorcroft still in doubt.
