No matter what Richmond’s Ty Vickery achieves throughout the remainder of his career, he will always be remembered for the sickening hit he inflicted on retiring West Coast favourite Dean Cox last Friday night.
The punch to the side of the face that sent Cox crashing awkwardly to the ground was little different from Barry Hall’s hit on Brent Staker in 2008 or, going back further, Leigh Matthews strike on Neville Bruns in 1985.
The execution of the various acts may have varied but the intent and level of violence was identical.
Matthews smashed Bruns’ jaw in an unprovoked behind the play incident in a match that had already spiralled out of control. His king hit from behind, on a player who was looking in the opposite direction, saw the Hawthorn hard-man not suspended but deregistered from the competition before facing legal action.
Hall’s knock-out blow on Staker earned him a seven-week suspension and left us with perhaps the most graphic footage of violence seen on a modern day footy field. Once viewed it can never be forgotten. The force of the blow, the rolling of Staker’s eyes back into his head, and the way his body crumpled to the ground, out cold.
Hall, the so called tough-man, would later back away from an opportunity to use his fists legally in a boxing ring, unwilling perhaps to be on the end of some of his own medicine. Even Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson and ‘Rotten’ Ronnie Andrews gave that a shot.
For all Matthews and Hall achieved – and they were fantastic footballers – Bruns’ jaw and Staker’s rolling eyes are never far away from any conversation regarding the two. Unfortunately for Vickery, his career will now be forever linked with the unsightly image of a dazed Cox plummeting head first into his home turf.
And that is a shame.
But Vickery has only himself to blame and if that is the way he reacts to getting a bit of treatment behind the scenes, then perhaps he has no place in the AFL.
Sure, Cox elbowed him in the chest or stomach region directly before the incident, but fair dinkum, I’ve copped worse from my five-year-old while wrestling on the couch.
I haven’t seen the need to throw a coward punch to let him know who’s boss.
For that is what it was – a coward punch. One blow delivered on an unsuspecting victim, resulting in injury. Do that out on the streets on a Saturday night and you’ll find yourself in big strife.
It is something that has no place in the game. Not now, not ever.
Footballers can wear it if they get hurt in the heat of the action. It comes with the territory. Fans can accept it as well. But getting hurt through pure thuggery is unacceptable and of course it is going to inflame those watching.
That Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was critical of West Coast fans giving Vickery an ear full as he made his way to the interchange area after the incident is astounding.
Yes, you are allowed to support your player, but even if he didn’t see the incident when it happened, he would have seen the umpteen replays that were beamed into his coaches box.
“At the end of the day, if you have a couple of lunatics hanging over the fence, yelling abuse…I don’t know another profession in the world where you can walk into a bank teller and start calling them names like that,” said Hardwick after the game.
Well, there aren’t to many professions where you can just belt a bloke when he is not looking either. Hardwick and Vickery are lucky that the incensed fans actually stayed on their own side of the fence.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson was seething after the incident but managed to keep his cool. He preferred not to comment on the incident after the match but he didn’t have to. His demeanour and the tone of his voice was enough to get some idea of his anger, an anger that he was more than warranted in venting.
Vickery’s apology, however heartfelt, and his subsequent four-week suspension do not give the Tiger big man a clean slate. His reputation is now marred forever.
The fact that such incidents are so rare in today’s football accentuates its atrocity and makes a mockery of the following comments by Hardwick –
“To me, he’s (Vickery) a hard, tough player. That’s what we want at the Tigers. At the end of the day, sometimes you step outside the boundaries, the rules are there. We know the rules. He’s a hard, tough Richmond player and that’s the way we like him.”
Well, if that is the Richmond coach’s philosophy, then perhaps Richmond need a new coach, because Vickery’s actions were neither hard nor tough.
No, like his coach’s comments, they were down right stupid.
Sean Lee
Expert
If my bias leads me to condemn players who have punched others in the head, then it is a bias I can live with Sancho.
Sean Lee
Expert
Cheers Milo.
Jax
Guest
I agree with you on most of that
Don Freo
Guest
This idea of living on the edge is an idea the press used a while ago and people tend to still think that's all he brings to the game. If you watch him, especially live, you'd be impressed by his elite running, blistering speed, one touch ball handling, great mark for his size and football savvy that only the elite have. Watch him informed by a Hudson, Shaw, Brereton commentary...or many others...you never see his football skills. He is one of the most focused, disciplined footballers. The love tap for which he was last suspended happened probably over 20 times against one player (Crowley) last night. Murphy should be cited but will not be. That is saved for Ballantyne You might question his discipline when player conflict is involved but discipline to a game plan and team role is unparalleled. It why Rossy gives him such leeway. Ballas is victimized by tribunals, umpires and press. Ross loves his discipline.
Jax
Guest
I am impressed with what he brings to the game for the most part, he's a very good player. However, he crosses the line at times and carries on like a pork chop. I get that he needs to play on that edge to get the results he does but I wish he didn't have to. I have greater respect for the quite achievers in the mould of Glass, Pavlich et al. In saying that I'm glad that not all players are the same. I still think WC has more fans if are counting your first team only. Freo would have more fans if you counted peoples next favourite teams I'm sure. I get your point though.
Don Freo
Guest
Murphy might be in trouble for a harder elbow into Crowley last night...so might the umpires. They did everything to nobble Crowley except hit him.
Don Freo
Guest
WCE has more members...not necessarily fans. See I'm a fan of WCE...a passionate fan. I love 'em...but I'm not a member. Football aficionados could not help but be impressed by what he brings to the game. Yellers, shouters and haters will see things differently. How can anyone despise Ballas? He'd have to be despicable!
Jax
Guest
"If Vickery had of fallen to the ground holding his stomach; the whole situation would be reversed." I agree but he didn't fall to the ground which means Coxs' elbow tap was not a strong hit. The MRP agreed that it did not have any force behind it which is why Cox wasn't reprimanded.
Jax
Guest
you think WC fans like Ballas? WC has more fans than Freo in WA so its definitely not even half of WA, let alone Australia ;)
Jax
Guest
@Daza if it was a full on elbow Vickery would not have had the energy or wind in his lungs to coward punch Cox. He feigned for a free kick for 1/2 a second then decided to round-arm Cox. These elbow taps happen every week. King hits havent been seen for a very long time. Big difference, two wrongs don't make a right and the retribution Vickery gave Cox doesn't come anywhere near to the little tap Cox gave him!
Ruminate
Roar Guru
Pope, I don't quite follow you?
Ruminate
Roar Guru
Pope, I don't quite follow you?
Milo
Guest
Thanks for your response Sean, your position is much more understandable, even if we differ on one point. No roarer will tell you that king hits are good for the game let alone the damage they can cause to the unsuspecting player. Think we all sympathise with anyone who has permanent injury damage out of playing a sport they love. No, I never suffered such damage in footy, most I copped in the head was an errant kick or two in a pack, mostly in juniors... but it always seemed wet then and back in the day before they banned juniors kicking off the ground (a good thing) like they do now. But to the point I still dont believe you can put Vickery in the same bracket as Matthews on Bruns and Hall on Staker amongst others. Both those were off the play and premeditated, Vickery's was in play and immediate (over) retaliation. Ty needs to keep that aggression, build on it even, but channel into getting the ball and splitting open packs to take a grab. If we're talking about another incident like this involving him in 12-24 mths time then yes we may start to see him differently but for the moment think Id rather give him another chance.
Don Freo
Guest
Why is bias over the top? Bias is only a problem if it claims to be equivocal.
Sancho
Guest
You have definitely cleared something up. You are speaking from a biased point of view, hence the reason it is over the top.
Sean Lee
Expert
True, Steele, I have never been put under that kind of public scrutiny, but I have been knocked unconscious on a football field and had my jaw broken in incidents that were outside of the rules and shouldn't have happened. Striking a player to the head with a fist, under any circumstance, can't be tolerated, whether he deliberately boxed him as in the Hall case or otherwise. Vickery's was a deliberate action and he gets little sympathy from me.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Don't think Leigh ever needed protection. Maybe he provided it for others but even through the rugged 70s and 80s players chose to be violent, it wasn't a free for all.
Aransan
Guest
Pope, my belief is that Hall didn't get into trouble at the Bulldogs and he had to be very careful when provoked as his past record would have counted heavily against him. I remember being told how some heroes used to belt into Ambrose Palmer when he was playing football safe in the knowledge that he couldn't retaliate because in law his fists were regarded as lethal weapons. When you think about it, some very gifted players developed into very hard men -- Jack Dyer, Ted Whitten, Leigh Matthews and no doubt roar readers can name others. Was this due to the lack of protection they received in their early days? Hopefully those days are over. Although Vickery committed a dumb act he strikes me as being quite intelligent, perhaps an unwanted attribute in a ruckman. I don't believe he is naturally aggressive and perhaps if he had more mongrel in him he would be better able to temper his aggression.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
This just is topical... http://viralsportsbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Barry-Hall-Meme.jpg
Steele
Guest
Unless your a Geelong supporter I don't think Neville Bruns comes to most peoples minds when thinking of Lethal do they? I certainly don't. I think of the greatest player of all time and 4 time premiership coach. Vickery made a blue, but to compare it to Halls incident is ludicrous and the panel obviously found it less punishable by giving him the four weeks and not the seven that Hall got. Vickery obviously meant to harm Cox by retaliating, however I don't think he himself realized how bad it was going to turn out either as he wasn't faing him. Hall basically boxed staker in a much more direct way and furthermore it wasn't in retaliation to being elbowed in the stomach. Cox learnt the hard way, that actions have consequences. Considering I don't believe Vickery meant to knock Cox out, I think the hyperbole surrounding him and the Four weeks, plus a lifetime of derision is more than enough penalty. I bet the author hasn't been put in such circumstances. The scrutiny these young men face these days is enormous. Let Tyrone move on, he knows he made a mistake.