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Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley calls for free kick explanation

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11th June, 2019
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Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has expressed his frustration with the polarising ‘Toby Greene’ rule after Magpies defender Jeremy Howe was denied a mark of the year contender against the Demons on the weekend for leading into the mark with his studs in the back of an opposing player.

The ruling has come under fire since its inception for the inconsistency of the ruling across different umpires and games, as well as the misunderstanding from coaches and players of what defines the infringement and how to work around it.

“No that wasn’t going to cause serious injury and it should have been allowed to stay as a mark,” Buckley said when asked about the mark on SEN radio.

“But I, as many others will, wait with bated breath to see whether the AFL actually thinks that that is acceptable or not, which is all we want to know so that we can coach around it.”

Buckley continued to point out that the rule itself isn’t an issue, as long as there is consistency and a clearer understanding of how it’s governed by the umpires and backed by the AFL itself.

“If the AFL comes out and says they’re comfortable with that being a free kick, we just need to know why, and if it’s in the same circumstance next week that it’s going to be definitely paid a free kick for these reasons.”

“Or, no we don’t think that was going to cause injury and therefore, to the letter of the law, it’s not a free kick.

“It needs to be specific, there can’t be a general grey area response.”

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