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Hawthorn captain James Sicily and Richmond youngster Rhyan Mansell are both staring at heavy suspensions, after being sent straight to the AFL Tribunal for a pair of controversial incidents on Saturday.
Sicily was cited for a rough tackle that concussed Brisbane midfielder Hugh McCluggage at the MCG, and led to initial fears of a significant neck injury.
Mansell, meanwhile, collided heavily with Fremantle’s James Aish during the last quarter of the Tigers’ win at Optus Stadium, with the Dockers wingman also sustaining a concussion.
Match Review Officer Michael Christian graded both incidents careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, the same as what Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey receive for his high bump on West Coast’s Elijah Hewett in Round 12.
The grading carries with it a minimum sanction of three weeks in what is set to be a bumper Tuesday night at the Tribunal, with St Kilda’s Dan Butler also a chance to attend if the Saints opt to challenge his one-match ban for a contentious dangerous tackle on Sydney’s Nick Blakey.
The trio of incidents have all triggered heavy debate over the current state of the game, with confusion rife over what constitutes a dangerous tackle and whether a player bracing for contact in expectation of a collision is still protected under the laws.
Former champion Jason Dunstall said on Thursday night he would be ‘horrified’ if Butler received a suspension, while Cameron Mooney told Fox Footy on Saturday Aish was just as responsible as Mansell for his injury.
“The problem with players now in today’s game in my belief is they are not bracing for the contact anymore because we are so gone the other way of protecting players, which we should,” he said.
“In our day, and I hate saying that, that’s both players bracing for each other and making contact, because they both know what’s coming.
“Nowadays, players are going ‘players aren’t allowed to hit me anymore, I’m free to go at it how I want’.”
Mooney also defended Sicily, saying the Hawks captain executed a ‘fantastic lunging tackle’.
“I honestly just feel so bad for the players at the moment,” he said.
“To me, that is just a fantastic lunging tackle by a player who’s desperate to make sure the opposition doesn’t get rid of the ball.
“He’s tackled him [McCluggage] around the waist and his momentum has obviously dragged him down, and unfortunately on the back of that, he’s then hit his head on the ground.”
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