Sydney won’t challenge Peter Ladhams’ one-week ban for striking former teammate Ollie Wines.
The Swans confirmed the news on Monday afternoon after being informed of the suspension on Sunday.
The gut-punch on Wines came just minutes after Ladhams threw Port’s Lachie Jones to the ground, both incidents leading directly to a goal from downfield free kicks.
They came during the crucial third quarter when the Power kicked away and set up their win, Swans coach John Longmire saying on Monday that the 24-year-old “will learn from that”.
Ladhams left Port Adelaide during the 2021 trade period for a shuffle of first-round picks after 32 games at Alberton, and young midfielder Zak Butters said his teammates knew how to unsettle the new Swan.
“It was more death by 1000 cuts for 'Pisty' (Ladhams),” he told SEN SA’s The Run Home.
“There was no plan, but an ex-teammate, we all know what he’s like, there was always going to be a bit of body and getting into him and stuff.
“I think by the third quarter it had finally ticked and the big fella crumbled a bit. I think we sort of got the reaction we wanted in the end, and for us, it sort of played a pivotal role in the game.
“Yeah, there was a little bit (of us chipping away at Ladhams). Any old teammate you come up against you want to get into them a bit and you want to beat them on the day, so we know what Pisty is like, and it was good to get in his head a bit.
“I think Ollie was pretty happy he got the last laugh there.”
Despite throwing Ladhams enough off his game to give Port an advantage, Butters didn’t believe there was much intent in the hit.
“Yeah I don’t think there was too much in it,” he added.
“I don’t think big Pisty would be throwing too many heavy haymakers around, I don’t think there was a lot of force in it.”
However, former AFL forward Josh Jenkins held a different view.
He compared the incident to that of Jeremy McGovern’s knock against Geelong, where the four-time All-Australian remains hospitalised with broken ribs.
“I reckon he (Ladhams) should have got three weeks,” Jenkins told SEN’s The Run Home.
“That was thuggery, it was a man who he’d just tackled who was laying on the ground who he sinks the right hand into his ribcage.
“Look at the Jeremy McGovern injury, there didn’t look much in that and you can mount the case that Ladhams has hit Ollie Wines harder than what Jeremy McGovern’s been hit.
“He’s just lucky he didn’t break his ribs when he punched him!
“It’s the action that you should be suspended for… I just don’t understand why we tolerate anything of that sort.”
Ladhams will miss the Swans’ crucial Round 15 clash with St Kilda with the suspension after stringing together ten consecutive games for his new club.