Lloyd’s hit raises the question of the send-off rule

 
Ben Somerford Columnist

By , 1 Sep 2009 Ben Somerford is a Roar Expert

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Matthew Lloyd of Essendon looks on during the AFL Round 13 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG. Slattery Images

Matthew Lloyd of Essendon looks on during the AFL Round 13 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG. Slattery Images

While Matthew Lloyd’s reckless hit on Brad Sewell has inevitably received plenty of attention this week in the midst of the debate about ‘the bump’, the Essendon forward’s act should also initiate discussion about the need for a send-off rule in AFL footy.

With his side trailing by 22 points at the main break, the Bombers captain made the decision to try and make a statement early in the third-term.

Indeed, he made his mark by smashing Hawthorn’s key onballer Brad Sewell unconscious with a bump which few people would genuinely have enjoyed watching.

The obligatory melee emerged between the two sides, before Essendon went onto kick 11 goals to five in the second-half to claim a crucial victory which secured their spot in the finals.

And while it would be loose to claim Lloyd’s hit on Sewell was the turning point or the instigator for Essendon’s comeback, there is no doubt it made a difference. After all, Sewell (who had 11 disposals and 7 tackles up until that point) spent the rest of the match on the bench, robbing Hawthorn of one of their best players.

Nevertheless, there’s no doubt Lloyd will receive his comeuppance with a lengthy suspension from the tribunal, but the Hawks, who were fighting for a spot in the top 8, gain nothing from that.

After all it was the Hawks who were all of a sudden a man down with Sewell unavailable for the rest of the match. In the context of modern footy, where debates have raged this year about extra players on the bench, the result of this particular incident was incredibly unfair.

Put simply, Hawthorn was worse off for an opposing player’s crime. Explained like that, it seems ludicrous.

And Lloyd, who could have been playing his last game of AFL footy on Saturday with retirement a strong possibility, potentially could’ve committed the crime without punishment.

Indeed, in some ways the incident was reminiscent of the 2004 Grand Final when Brisbane’s Alistair Lynch bowed out of the game literally swinging.

Situations like these are ludicrous and one of the flaws of the AFL rules, whereby the greatest punishment a player can instantaneously concede is a free-kick or, heaven forbid, a 50-metre penalty.

Last season, the issue of a greater on-field punishment was raised after Barry Hall’s horrendous king-hit on West Coast’s Brent Staker.

Hall himself was an advocate for the idea of introducing the send-off rule, as well as Laws of the Game committee member Kevin Bartlett who claimed it was ‘long overdue’.

The arguments for such a proposal include providing a deterrent for such actions and providing some fairness for the affected side.

But the major argument against the rule is based on the increased power and responsibility it places on the umpires to make correct decisions.

Referring back to the Lloyd case though, the decision was pretty obvious as shown by umpire Matt Stevic’s decision to report the Essendon captain.

The injury sustained by Sewell was horrific and the charge afflicted by Lloyd was crude and reckless. If Stevic had the power to send Lloyd off, I dare say, he would have done so.

And staying with Saturday’s example, perhaps Lloyd being sent off would’ve avoided the ensuing melees and maybe even Campbell Brown’s public vengeance wouldn’t have reared its ugly head.

Of course, there are rough edges on this issue which would need to be clarified, for example whether a sending off would result in a short-term spell in the sin bin or if it would be a match-ending red card, but the premise for some kind of fair and meaningful on-field punishment is the major intention.

Surely, in a competition which employs equalizing off-field strategies such as the salary cap and draft picks, fairness on the actual playing field should be a priority.

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