Richmond premiership defender Noah Balta is to be restricted to playing day games after receiving a night-time curfew by a court.
Balta, who made his first AFL appearance of the season on Saturday night in an upset win over Gold Coast, was sentenced on Tuesday for assaulting a man in regional NSW on December 30 last year.
The 25-year-old was fined $3000, given an 18-month community corrections order and assigned a curfew, restricting him to his home address between 10pm and 6am until July.
Balta was facing a maximum five-year jail term.
If Richmond and the AFL aren't able to negotiate the punishment then Balta will miss this Thursday night's clash with Melbourne at the MCG.
Balta will also have to sit out the Dreamtime match against Essendon on May 23, and a twilight match against GWS at Engie Stadium on May 31 because he wouldn't be able to get back from Sydney in time for curfew.
Richmond are yet to comment on Balta's sentencing.
The AFL are due to address the situation on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tigers' decision to select Balta against the Suns, just three days before he was sentenced, prompted a strong reaction from in and out of the football community.
Richmond great Jack Riewoldt has been among the critics of his former club's handling of Balta.
Riewoldt said on Fox Footy the Tigers' decision to select his ex-teammate while court proceedings are ongoing didn't sit well with him or pass the public "sniff test".
Speaking before Saturday night's match, Riewoldt said there was "no way" Balta should be playing.
Balta served a four-game suspension, then had a match with Richmond's VFL team, before playing a key role in shutting down Gold Coast spearhead Ben King.