Melbourne Demons' Jacob van Rooyen suspended three matches for strike that knocked out Aliir Aliir

Jacob van Rooyen, a 23-year-old Melbourne Demons forward, received a three-match suspension for a swinging arm strike that knocked out Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir during Saturday night's match, per ESPN reporting.

The incident occurred in the second term at Adelaide Oval. Aliir Aliir was marking the ball when van Rooyen struck him with a swinging arm. Aliir was knocked out and hit the ground without moving for several seconds before being helped off the field by trainers, according to ESPN. Aliir failed his Head Injury Assessment (HIA) test. The match review officer charged van Rooyen with striking and assessed the incident as careless conduct, high contact and severe impact, per ESPN.

Aliir was playing his 200th AFL game when the incident occurred. ESPN reported that van Rooyen seemingly mistimed his spoil attempt, a detail that contextualizes the strike as not deliberately aimed.

The three-match ban will rule van Rooyen out of next week's game against the Western Bulldogs, then Melbourne's first two finals matches, according to ESPN. Depending on how the Demons finish on the ladder, van Rooyen could also miss an elimination final and potentially the opening match of the 2027 season, per ESPN.

Van Rooyen has kicked 42 goals and averaged 4.7 marks in his best season to date, per ESPN reporting. Melbourne currently sits in fifth place but retains the ability to potentially make the top four, according to ESPN. The Demons have the ability to appeal the suspension, per ESPN.