The hysteria surrounding Patrick Dangerfield’s one-week suspension is justified; just not for the reason most people believe.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dangerfield should have been suspended for his tackle on Matthew Kreuzer. To suggest that his suspension represents a ‘softness’ in the game is almost laughable, as the AFL has made it clear that tackles of this nature are unacceptable, and for good reason.
Kreuzer had his arms pinned, therefore being defenceless as he was driven into the turf and concussed. Surely as a football public we should be supportive of a governing body who is looking towards the players long term welfare in this regard.
However, if the AFL is truly determined to discourage these kinds of acts and protect the players, Luke Shuey escaping suspension for his hit on Dangerfield himself earlier in the year is an example of astounding inconsistency.
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Much of Dangerfield’s suspension is driven by the look we are trying to stamp out of our game, primarily players who are unable to protect themselves being in vulnerable positions and receiving head high contact.
In the Shuey case, he ran past the ball, lifted his shoulder and collected Dangerfield in the head. It was as far from a ‘fair’ bump as you would see on a football field. Now, surely, that act has the potential to do as much, if not more damage to a player than the concussion Kreuzer suffered.
But instead of punishing the act for its intent and potential damage to the opposition player, Shuey was able to play the following week as Dangerfield fortunately wasn’t concussed. The message this sends to the players is that their intentions and actions are essentially irrelevant, as long as the player isn’t concussed.
This is where the AFL will continue to frustrate fans and send mixed messages, as it is working backwards when looking at the issue. A player suffering a concussion shouldn’t be the overriding factor in a suspension, it is the act and intent that must be used to determine whether a player should be suspended.
While the AFL’s stance on concussion is certainly a step in the right direction, there is no doubt the process around suspensions still requires some significant changes. Until then, crude acts will certainly continue to escape punishment, while generally fair players like Dangerfield sit on the sidelines for far less.
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