Incoming AFL boss Andrew Dillon insists there’s “no confusion” over what constitutes a harmful deal with regardless of a blended bag of latest outcomes on the AFL tribunal.
There was widespread outrage final week when Hawthorn captain James Sicily was handed a three-match ban for a deal with that left Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage concussed.
The Hawks are interesting that call on Monday afternoon.
It got here on the identical evening a one-week suspension for St Kilda’s Dan Butler was overturned, with gamers and coaches commenting within the wake of the selections about not being certain what they will and may’t do amid a league-wide crackdown.
But Dillon, who will substitute Gillon McLachlan as AFL chief govt, stated whereas sanctions for harmful tackles could be reviewed on the finish of the season, they had been within the “right spot” for the time being.
“I don’t really see there being confusion,” Dillon advised reporters.
“At the moment the penalties or the sanctions are in the right spot.
“But as we do every year at the end of the year, we’ll review how the season is going and where we want to go going forward.
“So (that) doesn‘t necessarily mean we’ll stay in the same spot.”
So far in 2023, 21 gamers have been suspended for harmful tackles, with penalties starting from one match to a few matches.
Three gamers, together with Butler, have had suspensions overturned.
Dillon stated the AFL wouldn’t draw back from the security facet of the clampdown and it will proceed no matter ongoing tribunal outcomes.
“What I’ll say in regards to the harmful tackles, MRO (match evaluate officer) and our tribunal system, it‘s all about protecting the health and safety of our players,” he said.
“And the AFL, we won‘t apologise for that.
“We have had close to 14,000 tackles this year and what we‘re looking at, at an MRO, tribunal perspective is slightly under 30 tackles that have been looked at.
“Any time there is avoidable head contact, we want to try and take that out of the game, so we will continue to do that.”
Dillon, a former player and coach at amateur level in Victoria, said he was clear on what a dangerous tackle was and the players should be too.
“I think what constitutes a dangerous tackle is when arms are pinned or when there‘s excessive force,” he said.
“I’ll simply depart it at that.”
On Monday, Dillon introduced the AFL’s “Gather Round” in Adelaide in 2024 could be performed throughout spherical 4, one week sooner than this season.
The venues and fixtures are to be confirmed.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
