Premiership Bomber Dakota Bannister's 2020 season will officially start in round two with the half-forward accepting a one-week ban.
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Originally offered a two-week charge for high contact on Lauderdale captain Bryce Walsh, the three-time premiership player pleaded guilty, lessening the charge.
Delivering a head-butt to Walsh, Bannister's contact was the climax of a half-time scuffle which also saw the Lauderdale leader's name written in the umpire's book.
Walsh was cited for his involvement in the main-break melee, also delivering an early guilty plea for striking young Bomber Rhyan Mansell.
Noted as intentional and a low impact shot to Mansell's body, Walsh's ban was downgraded from a one-week charge, freeing the Southern Bombers' skipper for round one action.
First-time premiership Bomber Jordan Tepper will also be free to take part in round one, reducing his ban to a reprimand following an obscene gesture to the crowd.
GRAND FINAL WRAPS
- TSL: North Launceston defeat Lauderdale in 2019 decider
- North's 2019 flag: Legacy, Lee's knee and Callow
- TSLW: Clarence steal last minute grand final win
- North Launceston's premiership success
- TSL: North Launceston gun forward leads the way in win
- TSL: Josh Ponting takes home Darrel Baldock medal
- North Launceston pips Tigers in development league grand final
The 2018 Hec Smith Medallist made the move to North Launceston at the end of last season and was instantly rewarded, only missing three games in the premiership year.
Development league Bomber Will Haley suffered an identical fate to Bannister for his striking charge on Tiger Mitchell Lister and will take a seat on the pine for round one next year after a guilty plea.
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