AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has defended the league’s tribunal system, as news emerged both Brisbane and GWS would appeal suspensions handed to their players over tackles on the weekend.
The role of the tackle in the AFL has been thrown into the spotlight over the past few days, with players receiving lengthy bans for footballing actions that would not have raised an eyebrow just a few years ago, because the players they tackled suffered concussion.
Brisbane’s Charlie Cameron was handed a three-game ban by the match review officer after his driving tackle on West Coast’ s Liam Duggan led to him being concussed and subbed out of their match on Sunday.
The Giants’ Toby Bedford was also handed a three-match ban for a tackle on Richmond’s Tim Taranto that left him dazed.
Both players challenged the bans at the AFL Tribunal, and both were unsuccessful.
Now they will each head to the AFL Appeal Board to try and have the bans overturned.
In recent days a host of current and former players have spoken in the media, declaring they felt little was wrong with the tackles carried out by Cameron and Bedford.Â
Speaking in Perth at the AFL CEO’s conference, league boss Dillon said he had faith the tribunal system was working, and said it would always put player safety first.
“Our tribunal system is based on … prioritising the health and safety of our players, so that’s the number one, two and three priority for the system,” Dillon said.
“Last year we had 35 dangerous tackles graded by the MRO [match review officer] and the tribunal.
“As we sit here more than two thirds of the way through the season, we’ve got – including the two that are going to be appealed this week – only 11 [dangerous] tackles.
“I think the players have adapted, but sometimes you have a weekend like we’ve [just] had.”
Dillon defended the use of the match review officer’s “matrix”, a grading system for offences that has been in use in various iterations since 2004.
“We review the tribunal guidelines each year, and the matrix is something we continue to look at,” he said.
“It’s a system that’s been in place since about 2004, so it’s been in place and served the game well for a long time.”
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