Young Richmond midfielder Reece Conca has been offered a three-match suspension after being charged with a level four engaging in rough conduct offence against North Melbourne’s Leigh Adams in last Friday night’s NAB Cup opening round at Etihad Stadium.

The match review panel assessed the incident as reckless conduct, high impact and high contact, resulting in a classification of a level four offence, drawing 425 demerit points and a four-match sanction. 

An early plea by Conca, who has no existing good or bad record, reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to 318.75 points and a three-match sanction.

The match review panel ruled Conca had intended to bump or block his opponent, not make high contact, and said his intent was reckless, not intentional, under revised guidelines for striking offences this season.

Under new rules that enable players to serve suspensions for incidents in the NAB Cup during the pre-season, Conca would be able to serve all three matches of his suspension and then be available to play against Carlton in the opening round of the 2012 home-and-away season.

The Tigers have two more scheduled NAB Cup fixtures, against Fremantle and Geelong, and a practice match, yet to be determined, on the same weekend as the NAB Cup final, if they are not playing off for the pre-season premiership.  That game will count as part of the NAB Cup, given the fact it will affect placings on the NAB Cup ladder used to decide prize-money in the pre-season competition.  The AFL will pay prize-money down to eighth placing in the NAB Cup.

Given Richmond is on an AFL Community Camp in Mildura until late Tuesday, it has been granted an extension, until Wednesday morning, to decide whether to take the case to the tribunal or accept the suspension.