It’s unbelievable that Gold Coast Suns player Steven May has been banned for three weeks after his bump on Brisbane player Tom Rockliff.
Rockliff was hit front on, he wasn’t caught high, nor was it off the ball.
May hadn’t left the ground and didn’t bump to deliberately injure Tom Rockliff.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn player Luke Hodge was also given three weeks for his elbow on North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow.
In light of Steven May’s three week, surely the Match Review Panel (MRP) has been too lenient on Hodge and too tough on May. If May got three weeks then surely a deliberate elbow to the jaw of another player is worth more?
Hodge’s blow came in the heat of the moment in what was an intense match, but it was deliberate. Watching the footage you can see Hodge stand up, walk over to Swallow and strike him down.
The stark contrast of intent between these two incidents has left myself, and I am sure many other, scratching their heads. An accident against intent – how have they been dealt identical punishments?
Aside from setting a harsh new precedent for the potential consequences of laying a hip and shoulder, where the MRP has failed is with their consistency. Player punishments need to be able to be understood by players and fans alike as a fair decision, especially in contrast to incidents that occur in the same news cycle.
What do you think Roarers, was the match review panel too lenient on Hodge? Was it too tough on May? Is the hip and shoulder dead?
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