The AFL needs to be colder on Conca

Brian Lake. Tyrone Vickery. Reece Conca. These three players have been involved in three consecutive incidents that have appalled the football and wider community.

Each occurrence, though differing from one another, has had the culprit branded as thuggish. Lake and Vickery both received four-week suspensions for their aggressive displays, while Conca received a lesser penalty of two weeks.

The Match Review Panel and Tribunal has been surrounded in controversy this year, with fans and football commentators crying out in frustration over the seemingly inconsistent decisions and the confusion of what an ill-timed bump deserves. The discussion over Nat Fyfe’s suspension grows each week as we edge closer to Brownlow night, comparisons between it and nearly every other MRP finding being drawn and analysed.

Fans lament that the game has become ‘soft’ as a result of the MRP’s view of the penalty required for head-high bumps.

However unless the football public would be happy to introduce a compulsory wearing of helmets (Eddie McGuire supporting the COLA is more likely), it is important that the AFL does what it can to prevent dangerous high contact in the game.

While this a positive position the AFL holds, more focus, scrutiny, and harsher penalties need to be given to aggressive acts that are not in direct play and are without a doubt against the spirit of the game.

Lake took his display of power and strength too far. It was clear something came over him and he was not in a healthy state of mind for those few moments. That does not excuse him though and in placing his hands on Drew Petrie’s neck, Lake crossed a line, paying for it with a month on the sidelines.

Vickery’s heavy hit on Dean Cox was stupid. Plain and simple. Did he want to hit Cox? Yes, it was a very deliberate action at a time where Cox was not expecting such a knock. It deserved a severe punishment for the damage it did and four weeks was perhaps lucky to get away with, his sincere public apology possibly saved him a week. Despite this, Tyrone did not size his opponent up and take a clear violent swing at him while aiming for his head.

Reece Conca did not concuss his opponent. Devon Smith – the GWS player who received the blow – appeared only in discomfort for a few minutes before able to continue playing.

Nevertheless, of the three events mentioned I would argue this was the worst – the most justifiable to be labeled a ‘thug’.

How could a player think it is acceptable to strike another person in the head from behind, with the victim having no idea of the incoming blow?

The MRP viewed the incident as intentional conduct, medium impact and high contact. This drew 325 demerit points resulting in a three-match sanction. An early guilty plea by Conca however reduced his penalty to just two weeks off.

Following the points system Conca received the appropriate penalty, there’s little room to argue any of those three areas differently and a three-week break based on the contact made seems fair.

However, the AFL needs to review the worth of the guilty-plea reduction. A player should not receive a lesser suspension for simply admitting that they did intentionally attempt to strike another player from behind.

Although it would be challenging to adjudicate, perhaps the AFL also needs to consider introducing a category relating to how unsportsmanlike the incident is. If so then Conca surely would have received the highest grading.

There is no pride or toughness in running down an opponent fifteen metres away with the sole intention to hurt them. Devon Smith facing the other way, unaware, amplifies its blatant absurdity.

If the AFL is serious about a positive image for the game, and in protecting the welfare of our athletes on field, it will ensure that moments like this do not happen again.

Conca threw a cowards punch, and the AFL needs to make it absolutely clear that there is no place for such vicious behaviour in our game.