Ella Heads cops big ban for bump that broke star Demon's jaw

Posted Tue 15 Sep 2026 at 8:55amTue 15 Sep 2026 at 8:55am, updated Tue 15 Sep 2026 at 8:56amTue 15 Sep 2026 at 8:56am

In short:

Port Adelaide's Ella Heads has been banned for three games for a high bump that broke the jaw of Melbourne star Eliza McNamara. 

McNamara had surgery on her jaw and there is no timeline for her return. 

Former AFLW star Kate McCarthy said the hit was "probably one of the worst bumps I’ve seen on the AFLW field". 

Port Adelaide defender Ella Heads has been handed a three-match AFLW ban for her bump that fractured the jaw of Melbourne's Eliza McNamara. 

McNamara had just fired off a handball in Sunday's 51-point win when Heads ran in and collected the midfielder front-on with her shoulder.

A dazed McNamara had blood coming out from her face as she was assisted from the ground. 

The 24-year-old was taken to hospital, with the Demons confirming on Monday she had undergone surgery, with no timeline set for her return. 

The incident was classified as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, drawing a three-match ban.

"That was a really poor challenge," former AFLW star Kate McCarthy said. 

"It was probably one of the worst bumps I’ve seen on the AFLW field in regards to being late, being high and just being really careless and not eliciting that duty of care that we now know is placed on you as an AFLW player when you elect to bump."

That equates to a quarter of the 12-round home-and-away season, and Heads will miss games against Sydney, the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide unless Port can downgrade the charge.

In other tribunal news, West Coast's Abbygail Bushby was handed a one-match ban for her clumsy collision with the Brisbane Lions' Sophie Peters.

Peters had her head over the ball when Bushby ran in and tumbled over her opponent.

Richmond's Montana McKinnon was handed a one-match rough conduct ban for her run-in with St Kilda's Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw.