Football Australia’s independent Match Review Panel (MRP) has upheld the suspensions of Western Sydney Wanderers pair Tate Russell and Jorrit Hendrix, who will miss Round 17 after receiving red cards against Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon.
Both Hendrix and Russell are set to serve one-match bans, and will return for the Wanderers ahead of a meeting with Adelaide United on February 24 in Round 18.
Football Australia also confirmed it is investigating the conduct of Western Sydney’s officials and fans both during and after the club’s Isuzu UTE A-League clash with Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon – the 3-3 draw in which Russell and Hendrix were sent off and the Wanderers were reduced to nine men.
MATCH REPORT: Nine-man Wanderers snatch a point in chaotic 3-3 draw with Newcastle
Hendrix received a straight red card in the 96th minute of the 3-3 draw after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention.
On-field referee Shaun Evans was called over to the monitor to assess Hendrix’s tackle on Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos – a challenge that initially earned the Wanderers midfielder a yellow card.
After reviewing the incident, Evans returned to the field of play to upgrade yellow to red and reduce the Wanderers to nine men.
Football Australia confirmed Hendrix would serve the minimum sanction of a one-match ban after committing the offence of “serious foul play (e.g. when challenging for the ball).”
Russell will also serve a one-match ban after collecting two yellow cards on either side of half-time in Western Sydney’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle.
Russell earned his second yellow after VAR instructed referee Evans to review a missed incident after Russell made contact with Jets player Daniel Wilmering in the Wanderers’ defensive penalty area.
Evans reviewed the incident on the monitor, awarded the Jets a penalty and deemed the offence worthy of a second yellow card.
Russell will serve a one-match suspension and will join Hendrix in sitting out his side’s road trip to take on Central Coast Mariners on Sunday, February 18.
The independent MRP also confirmed Central Coast Mariners midfielder Isabel Gomez would miss the next round of the Liberty A-League season after the accumulation of her fifth yellow card of the season.
