Collingwood vice-captain Steele Sidebottom and defender Lynden Dunn have been suspended for breaches of the AFL’s return to play protocols.

Sidebottom will be unavailable for selection for the next four matches and Dunn unavailable for selection for this week’s match against Essendon.

Sidebottom and Dunn shared an Uber on Saturday evening and Sidebottom later visited a member of staff who is not living under the game’s protocols.

The breaches were self-reported to the club on Sunday morning and to the AFL on Sunday afternoon. The players were interviewed by the AFL on Monday.

It is acknowledged that both have excellent disciplinary records established over long and distinguished careers.

Dunn has returned to the Holden Centre and will be available to play in Collingwood’s practice session against Essendon on Saturday if cleared by a second COVID-19 test today.

Sidebottom is expected to return to the program next week if cleared to do so by COVID-19 testing.

Collingwood and Sidebottom share the view that his four-match ban is excessive, inconsistent with recent protocol breaches and contestable.

However, club and player concluded that for the greater good of the game and the realities of our time it was necessary to end the matter.

“To his credit, Steele considered what was in the best interests of the code and Collingwood,” Collingwood GM of Football, Geoff Walsh, said of a potential appeal.

“Firstly, he accepts that he made some poor decisions but he also feels it is the right thing to accept the punishment, a greater punishment than most believe is fair, to avoid a distraction that could create difficulties for the competition and his team-mates. That’s the sort of person Steele is.

“As a club, we considered all options but our disappointment over Steele’s suspension is no greater than it is over the fact that two senior players breached the return to play protocols.

“Everyone knows Steele and Lynden started out with the best of intentions, to console an injured team-mate, but our players and staff have been well educated on the protocols and we take our social responsibilities seriously.

“We respect the privilege we have to play and the conditions under which we must live in order to play.

“As a code and as a community we have to remain vigilant and disciplined. This episode and the circumstances out in the wider community reinforce the need to minimise the risk of transmission.”