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AAP
AAP
Sport
Shayne Hope

Cripps cleared by AFL over Murphy tackle

Carlton's Patrick Cripps has been cleared of wrongdoing over a tackle on Adelaide's Lachlan Murphy. (AAP)

Patrick Cripps remains eligible for the Brownlow Medal after the AFL cleared the Carlton captain of wrongdoing over his tackle on Adelaide's Lachlan Murphy.

Murphy was left nursing a sore neck after landing heavily on his back in the tackle during Sunday's match at Marvel Stadium

The incident came after Murphy had surgery on a bulging disc in his neck in December.

The Crows opted to take a cautious approach and substituted him out of the match.

No free kick was paid at the time and Blues coach Michael Voss said post-match he would be "staggered" if the AFL took it any further.

The match review officer assessed footage of the incident on Monday but felt Cripps' actions did not constitute a reportable offence.

Cripps avoiding suspension means the Brownlow Medal favourite is still in contention for the game's most prestigious individual award.

The powerful midfielder continued his hot start to the season with 35 disposals, nine clearances and two goals in the convincing win over Adelaide.

Cripps is a clear leader in the AFL Coaches Association player of the year award after nine rounds and is arguably in career-best form.

The 27-year-old has got himself in peak physical condition after several years carrying injury issues.

"He's talked about wanting to make sure that he's a dynamic player in the way that he plays and I think we're seeing that," Voss said on Fox Footy on Monday night.

"But what we're also seeing is a really hungry player who wants to get more out of himself and more out of his team, and he's certainly playing that way.

"What we've tried to do is help him a little with our system and what we put around him, but certainly he's living up to his end of the bargain."

There was one other match review finding on Monday, with St Kilda midfielder Zak Jones fined $2000 for striking Melbourne's Clayton Oliver.

The incident was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact.

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