TYRONE man Conor McKenna will miss the next three weeks of AFL action after the Essendon half-back pleaded guilty to biting Western Bulldogs forward Tory Dickson in Sunday’s meeting between the two sides.
The Eglish man attended an AFL tribunal on Tuesday night to face a serious misconduct charge and held his hands up to the offence.
“I take full responsibility for my actions, I’m very sorry for what I’ve done,” McKenna said.
“I’m just going to look forward to moving on and getting on with the season.”
McKenna will now miss Essendon's upcoming games against Port Adelaide, Collingwood and Melbourne.
In a statement to AFL integrity officer Kerry Gassner, Dickson described the incident as “a quick nip” and stressed that it was a minor altercation.
The Bulldogs medical report also said that their player had suffered a red mark on his neck, but no penetration of the skin or bleeding. They added that Dickson had not required medical treatment.
McKenna becomes only the third AFL player to be suspended for biting. Chris Masten of the West Coast Eagles was handed a two-match ban three years ago, the first biting suspension since 1991 when Chris Lewis, also of the Eagles, was hit with a three-game ban.
McKenna made his Essendon debut in 2015 and signed a new four-year contract last September.
He has played 36 AFL games in his career, including the first three of this season, and has kicked 11 goals in that time.
The Bombers defender will likely return to action in Essendon’s home match with Hawthorn on May 5.
