St Kilda forward Jack Higgins has been hit with a three-match suspension for the dangerous tackle that concussed Aliir Aliir in the Saints’ loss to Port Adelaide.

Higgins tackled the bigger Aliir to ground during the second quarter at the Adelaide Oval, with the defender’s head hitting the ground as he attempted to kick.

Aliir was taken off and quickly substituted out of the game with concussion, and will miss the Power’s Showdown blockbuster against Adelaide under the AFL’s concussion protocols.

Match Review Officer Michael Christian graded the incident as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, triggering the three-match ban – the highest sanction the MRO can give without first sending the case to the Tribunal.

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