AFL coaches Brad Scott and Sam Mitchell are sympathetic to Jack Higgins because the St Kilda goal-sneak prepares to problem his three-match ban over the sort out that left Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir concussed.
Higgins slung Aliir to the bottom through the second quarter of the Power’s 10-point win over the Saints at Adelaide Oval on Friday evening.
He pinned one among Aliir’s arms as he tackled his opponent, whose ft left the bottom as he tried to kick the ball earlier than his head hit the turf.
The Power defender will miss the Showdown in opposition to Adelaide this week below concussion protocols, along with his return date but to be decided.
The league’s match evaluate officer charged Higgins with tough conduct, grading the sort out as careless conduct, extreme impression and excessive contact.
The contentious incident sparked debate about whether or not Aliir’s kicking motion put him in a extra weak place whereas being tackled.
Essendon coach Scott, who beforehand served because the AFL’s normal supervisor of soccer, mentioned it was a “difficult” state of affairs for Higgins.
“The clear direction that I’m hearing from the tribunal and from the AFL (is that) if the ball carrier is in a vulnerable position, your duty of care is to release him,” Scott mentioned on Fox Footy on Monday evening.
“But Aliir’s kicking the ball, so if you release him and he kicks the ball and it’s a broken tackle, I think it’s a lot to ask of players.
“All I can say is I’m glad I’m not in that place to must make a ruling as a result of I really feel for Jack Higgins.”
Hawthorn coach Mitchell said he couldn’t see an alternative option for Higgins in the moment.
“Could he have let the arm go a bit earlier? I suppose that is what they might be saying, however he cannot see the participant and might’t really feel it,” Mitchell mentioned on Fox Footy.
“He’s in an enormously troublesome place, however I will not say an excessive amount of as a result of we play them in two weeks.”
Retired St Kilda midfielder Nick Dal Santo understood the grading of Higgins’ rough charge under the AFL table of classifiable offences, but felt his former club had every right to challenge the suspension.
“They’ve obtained a extremely sturdy case provided that Aliir Aliir did have an arm free,” Dal Santo mentioned on Fox Footy.
“Yes, the soccer was in that arm, however I feel there was a few different deciding elements (together with) that he selected to attempt to distribute the soccer.
“And I think it becomes really difficult when we’re now asking players … to also consider and take into account the intention about what that other player is about to do.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
