Brownlow Medallist Nathan Buckley has launched an impassioned plea for the AFL to focus its tackle crackdown on the outcome rather than action after too many “inconsistencies” in the opening six rounds.
Eight players had already been banned for dangerous tackles this year, with three more players – Tom Jonas, Callan Ward and Jesse Motlop all handed one-week suspensions while the likes of Mitch Duncan and Andrew Brayshaw – who left Tom Liberatore concussed – were not cited.
Speaking On the Couch on Tuesday night, Buckley showed a number of tackles where players’ heads made contact with the turf – but there was no scrutiny.
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Buckley also said he was concerned an NRL-style ‘hip-drop tackle’ technique – where players use their body weight to drag an opponent down on their legs – would emerge if the AFL didn’t amend it’s current crackdown.
“If it’s a medico legal issue and they are making decisions (on tackle bans) so they don’t have something on their hands down the track, that would be the only thing that would explain it to me,” he said of the tackle crackdown.
“But we are going to get a whole lot one or two-week suspensions.
“If that’s actually a fact, we are missing 10-12 (ban-worthy tackles) a week.
Confusion surrounds tackle suspensions | 05:24
“Do we want players rubbed out, 10 or 12 in a go because I don’t know what the alternative is.
“My biggest concern is players are missing weeks of footy for something other players aren’t.
“It’s not just getting a free kick wrong or right – it’s actually weeks.
“In my view, Zach Merrett and Taylor Adams who missed out on the opportunity to play on one of the biggest stages, based on an action that’s been allowed or overlooked in other circumstances.
“We are either missing plenty, or we are pulling ones up or actions are going up that shouldn’t be.
“We need to make our mind up on why we’re doing what we are doing – is it the action or consequence.”
Buckley showed vision of Zaine Cordy laying a tackle where “the action’s the same” as the one where Jesse Motlop copped a one-match ban – from the same match.
Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph tried to explain that the AFL could be taking an approach that “are we educating one to kill a thousand?”, conceding there would be “double standards”.
But Buckley was adamant the bans needed to be result based, rather than stemming from the action.
“We’ve got to come back off this – it’s too difficult for the players. You’re running out onto a football field in a contact game,” he said.
“My solution to this is it’s not about the action at all – let’s just do it from the outcome.
“If concussion protocols are triggered, then it’s a week. The risk is on the tackler for whatever action you choose.”
When asked how an outcome-based system would work if someone like Jonathan Brown was tackled (given his history with concussion) compared to a player who has never had a head trauma history, Buckley remained adamant it was a better barometer for a penalty.
“There’s still going to be grey area, but then I think we’re going to avoid giving guys weeks for something inconsequential,” he said.
“I saw Nathan Kreuger go for a hangar today and put his knee fair square into the back of (Brandon) Zerk-Thatcher’s head. Is that going to be outlawed in a year or so? (Garry Lyon adds: “I hope not.”)
“So you’re not going to be able to jump on an opposition player soon because there’s head contact?”
What constitutes a ‘hip drop tackle?’ | 07:16
Buckley said he was concerned the NRL’s controversial ‘hip drop tackle’ would make it’s way into the AFL, after vision of Collingwood practising pulling players down rather than sling emerged last week.
Game vision of Cameron Rayner making a ‘hip-drop’ style tackle was shown as an example of what could creep in more in the coming weeks.
“It could have broken an ankle!” Buckley said.
“The alternative to tackling a guy that way (in a sling style) is to do that.”
“We’re going to snap a leg in half!,” Jonathan Brown added.
“(The NRL) is trying to wipe this out – putting knees and legs in danger.
“There’s always a consequence to an action.”
The NRL is currently battling to outlaw that tackle style, given the spate of lower leg injuries it is causing.
But Ralph said the AFL needed to focus on the “greater evil” – concussion.
“There’s not too many class actions for hip issues – there’s a few for concussion though,” he said.
“This is a new frontier.”
