AFL great Terry Wallace has urged the league to introduce a send-off rule, but West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui doesn’t want to see it happen despite watching his teammate get cut down in thug fashion.
Port Adelaide defender Tom Jonas is facing a lengthy suspension after knocking out Eagles midfielder Andrew Gaff with a crude elbow to the head in a marking contest.
Most lower levels of Australian Rules football have send-off rules for serious incidents, and red cards are well established in soccer and rugby.
Calls are growing for it to be implemented into AFL ranks following several big hits in recent years.
Gold Coast’s Steve May copped a five-week ban earlier this season for his sickening charge on Brisbane’s Stefan Martin.
And Richmond’s Ty Vickery copped widespread condemnation for his cheap punch on West Coast’s Dean Cox in 2014.
Wallace said serious incidents needed to be punished on game day, especially if the victim was unable to come back on.
“I would send him off. I thought he searched to make contact,” Wallace told SEN.
“In the time that Gaff went down, Port Adelaide actually caught back up in the match.
“Star player is down, (and) everyone who has seen it says this is a four-to-six week offence.
“Anything that is of that degree – four weeks upwards – you should be sent off.”
However, Naitanui doesn’t think a send-off rule would be a good fit for the AFL.
“I don’t think guys are doing anything too bad that warrants getting sent off,” Naitanui said on Monday.
“I don’t think it’s in anyone’s character. You don’t have guys these days growing up to do that purposely.
“It was a late hit (on Gaff), and not something you want to see. But I’m sure the match review panel will deal with it.
“I think it’s probably worse that you stay on the field when you do something like that – because you feel pretty bad.”
Eagles players Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo, Will Schofield, and Jamie Cripps were all fined for their part in the melee that followed the hit on Gaff.
Naitanui said it was money well spent.
“I think the boys will be pretty happy paying the fines,” Naitanui said.
“In the end you’re not doing anything silly – you’re just sticking up for your teammate.
“You’d probably get fined by the boys if you didn’t go in.”
Gaff will need to pass a concussion test if he is to play in Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast at Domain Stadium.
But even if he is ruled out, the Eagles are expected to encounter few problems against a Suns outfit ravaged by injuries.
The Eagles finally broke their travel hoodoo with their eight-point win over Port Adelaide, lifting them back to within a victory of second spot.
Penster
Guest
Gee Liam, did Terry Wallace run over your dog??? Emotive and unsubstantiated. By cluttering up the AFL do you mean the large number of former players who are retained by various media outlets to provide "content" for their saturation coverage. It's only clutter if you log/turn on and listen to them all and remember they are paid for comments, Terry Wallace isn't calling press conferences to sprout his opinion - they call him. The title "AFL great" is derived via achievements as player and coach, there's no other way to get that tag. He is a great of the game, anyone who watched his incredible career throughout the 70's & 80's could tell you that.
Liam
Guest
Do you not think we have enough former players cluttering up the AFL? Do you think that what Wallace contributes is in any way different from at least six or seven other pundits? And, finally, do you actually reject my assertion that Wallace is entirely a controversy merchant in a modern football context? You can prevaricate, you can mention his achievements as a player or a coach, you can reassure yourself that he deserves the appelation of 'AFL great', but ultimately the title becomes more self referential than anything else, and it will not mean anything if we continue to apply it to snake oil salesmen like Terry Wallace.
michael RVC
Roar Pro
Good point Penster
Penster
Guest
Correct, he should be called "VFL great". 3 premierships, 3 all Australian selection, massive possession getter, polled high in the Brownlow ......... great.
mattyb
Guest
Lol Liam I tend to agree. I always thought there was a lot of snake oil salesman about Wallace even when he was relevant
Liam
Guest
The entire issue is underminded - and underlined - with how fraught it is to call Terry Wallace and 'AFL great'. The guy is a glutton for attention these days; he says stuff which are reported and are likely to cause disagreement, based on the events of the weekend. He is irrelevant to current football, and I honestly wish the man would sod off.
michael RVC
Roar Pro
The sentiment is right, the implementation would be fraught and the execution risky - esp as there are a few umpires in the system who are guilty of either (a) narcissistic showmanship or (b) bias against non Vic teams or (c) both. This discussion is necessary and not a case of "SJW" as written elsewhere on this site. Jonas was obviously deliberate in what he did, and from his own admissions there is no debate about that. IMO - implement a new rule - during qualifying season, no send offs. In finals, send offs with a off field review of the act to confirm. It wouldn't take up any playing time because the games would be held up by the resulting melee anyway. Giving perpetrators 6 or 8 weeks the following season doesn't help.