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Match Review Panel correct with Franklin and Tippett

29th June, 2015
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Expert
29th June, 2015
87
1520 Reads

The Match Review Panel (MRP) probably cops more whacks than any other body, team or player associated with the AFL. Most of the time it is rightly so.

But it’s only fair we should applaud them when they get it right, as they did in assessing the Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett incidents from Sydney’s Friday night loss to Richmond, where both players can accept a one-week ban with a guilty plea.

The hysteria that accompanied these incidents was due to two factors – Sydney’s ‘Bondi billionaires’ were involved and emotions were heightened due to the heated, often spiteful tone the match took place in.

When we look at each act – Franklin’s bump on Shane Edwards and Tippett’s elbow on Dylan Grimes – in the cold light of day, neither deserves multiple weeks.

We constantly hear about the weight given to how much damage is suffered by the victims in these sort of charges.

After all, Bryce Gibbs got given a two-match ban last week because Robbie Gray was knocked out in his tackle. If Gray had gotten up, broken away from the stoppage with ball in hand and played out the game, Gibbs would have only been guilty of not making his tackle hard enough.

The Franklin hit seems to have caused the most ire. He ran past the ball and dropped his shoulder into the oncoming Edwards, whose sole intent was the ball, collecting him high.

Given that Edwards was given the all clear to return to the ground, and played out the rest of the game, what damage was actually done? No broken bones, no bleeding from the head, no concussion.

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Sure, it didn’t look great, but are we ready to make judgements on something as subjective as aesthetics?

In the other incident, Grimes was dropping back in front of a leading Tippett, who got there late and made Grimes earn his mark with a glancing blow to the head, as forwards have done to defenders dropping back into their space for a hundred years.

Grimes got straight up, disposed of the ball, and played out the game with no ill effects. Again, what damage was actually done? Again, no broken bones, no bleeding from the head, no concussion.

Australian rules football is a physical game. It takes courage to play it. Sometimes you’re going to get hurt when going for the ball. Oftentimes this will be through accidental and unavoidable contact. Every now and then it will be because an opponent wants to intimidate or send a message.

If this opponent calculates wrong due to being frustrated or angry and is too malicious, they’ll serve a suspension, as Franklin and Tippett will do this week.

We want our players to put their bodies on the line, and they do so knowing they might get injured. Shane Edwards and Dylan Grimes did exactly that, but walked away from these incidents unscathed.

Franklin and Tippett looked bad, and they could have caused more damage than they did. As such, they’ll now have a week to think about it. The Match Review Panel got this one right.

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