St Kilda forward Jack Higgins has been hit with a three-match suspension for the dangerous tackle that concussed Aliir Aliir in the Saints’ loss to Port Adelaide.
Higgins tackled the bigger Aliir to ground during the second quarter at the Adelaide Oval, with the defender’s head hitting the ground as he attempted to kick.
Aliir was taken off and quickly substituted out of the game with concussion, and will miss the Power’s Showdown blockbuster against Adelaide under the AFL’s concussion protocols.
Match Review Officer Michael Christian graded the incident as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, triggering the three-match ban – the highest sanction the MRO can give without first sending the case to the Tribunal.
Higgins stands to miss matches against North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Fremantle unless the Saints appeal.
The sanction comes despite former great Jordan Lewis telling Fox Footy he ‘feel[s] for Higgins’.
If Aliir Aliir understands if he’s being tackled and doesn’t then try and kick the ball, well then there’s probably no case to answer for,” Lewis said.
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“I think Aliir contributes 50 per cent of that force going to the ground by trying to dispose of the ball.”
Chancho
Roar Rookie
I’m with you on it being a bit dicey - that’s why three weeks feels too much for me. As for Aliir doing more to protect himself, I’m not sure he could have. His priority would have been to dispose of the ball, and even if he didn’t try to kick it he’d have still come down hard. Also I’m assuming it’s happening in Port’s defensive 50, had he got pinged for holding the ball it would have given a free kick to St Kilda right in front of goal, he had to dispose of it the only way possible for him
1 Nation Army
Roar Rookie
This is such a dicey one. I think Aliir could have done a lot more to protect himself and seems to get concussed easily if he is getting at least 1 a season. The supposed responsibility on the tackler has gone too far. Higgins is about a foot shorter than him and defensively I say hasn’t the body of Aliir but surely if you are getting tackled protect yourself!!!!
JW
Roar Rookie
3 weeks is harsh. 1 would’ve been enough. There wasn’t intent to dump him, and I wouldn’t describe it as careless either. He was just tackling a bigger bloke and clinging on as best he could. Not sure what other way he was meant to tackle in that situation. Are players not meant to tackle now either?
Chancho
Roar Rookie
Just rewatched that tackle, Aliir properly slams his head into the turf. I hope he’s good
Chancho
Roar Rookie
I kinda feel for Higgins in this one. It seems to me to be a decent tackle against a much taller opponent, perhaps him grappling Aliir’s free arm isn’t required and that what ultimately contributed to the MROs grading. I don’t buy the point that Aliir contributed by kicking though. He has the opportunity to dispose of the ball by foot and takes it, that’s the rules and the essence of the game
Cinderella's Big Score
Roar Rookie
Lewis is right. Tackled players must dispose of the ball, if you even have one arm free and are unbalanced the umpire still expects you to kick it. A bit of a dilemma because the AFL are locked in to giving heavy punishments if concussions occur. But I think Higgins has a case for leniency here. I hope Aliir is alright, he did nothing wrong, just played the way the AFL expects him to and subsequently put himself at risk.