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In the overall scheme of things – with Jobe Watson’s stunning admission about the banned substance AOD-9604, and the confession’s potential consequences – there truly are significantly more important issues in AFL at the moment.
But that doesn’t mean other more ‘trivial’ matters should be totally overlooked.
In this instance the one which caught my eye was the “he pinched me – no I didn’t” case which ultimately saw Docker Ryan Crowley fined $1200 at the Tribunal for allegedly, pinching North’s Brent Harvey “about 300 times” during their clash last weekend in Perth.
Seriously – Crowley accused of pinching? Harvey chastised for dobbing? Are we back in primary school?
I know how it works for taggers. I watched what happened to Jason Akermanis for many seasons. I get it. And taggers will do whatever they can to negate their high profile, often star opponent – whatever they can, within the rules.
If they go outside the rules, they have to wear the free kick or the consequences of their actions.
There has been a few schools of thought about this case though. One is that it’s part of the game, it should stay on the field. Harvey should have left it there and kept his mouth shut.
Another is: Really? Pinching? What have we come to? Good on Brent Harvey for standing up and effectively saying: “this is crap and we don’t need this in our game.”
Then some suggestion Harvey is whinging because he had a bad game and Crowley got the best of him, and dobbing can tarnish his amazing career.
After all, isn’t all this stuff – getting into the head of your opponent – part of the game?
Another line of thinking is that after 352 games, it had to be pretty severe ‘pinching’ for Harvey to feel Crowley – who denied the allegations at the Tribunal – crossed the line and he needed to say something.
Well, niggling and tagging are part of the game, and have been from a long, long time, but where do we draw the line?
Clearly it seems the Tribunal has drawn it here with their $1200 fine. But should they have said, grow up both of you, get out of here and play footy?
It’s an intriguing case and I think if the Essendon/Watson story wasn’t as big as it is right now, then this story might have resulted in a lot more discussion and debate in the footy world.
It’s clearly different to pulling someone’s jumper. It’s clearly different to sledging and trying to get into someone’s head.
But where does it sit in terms of rough conduct, or jumper punching or other forms of illegal play?
Obviously it’s not in the same realm as those? Is it?
Well the way I feel is that it’s not too far behind.
I understand coaches and players want to do whatever they can to put the brakes on the opposition’s star players. And that’s fine, providing it’s within the rules.
If you can’t do it within the rules – bad luck, tip your hat and say well done.
I, like many, pay to watch the great players do what they do. They entertain, and even if they are not playing for my team, you have to marvel at some of the things they do.
Of course I want my team to shut them down, but within the rules.
Pinching – what have we come to? If that’s allowed, then do we allow the pinchee to take a swing at the pincher when he’s been attacked?
I applaud anyone who stands up and ‘dobs’ someone in for using such behaviour.
If it’s allowed in the game, then how long before that talented 11-year-old goes home after a game with marks up and down his body from his opponents pinching attack?
Get ridding of such acts is not going soft, it’s actually being firm.
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