How many weeks for Mckernan

[Agent93]

Who is MRP chairman Mark Fraser, who appointed him and why is he allowed to ruin football?

This guy. Adrian Anderson. Tribunal guidelines are not well defined, large amount of overlap in definitions, thus allowing him and the rest of the MRP to make subjective analysis.

 

[Xsess]

Who said anything about McGinnity's tackle being a "legitimate football tackle"?

Tackles with the potential to cause injury happens every game, every week. Sometimes people get hurt. West Coast fans have seen it happen twice to Priddis - once last year and again this year - in both cases, his arms were pinned and his head flung onto the ground. He was concussed both times and both times the opponent was judged to have no case to answer.

 

[Xsess]

Vince's injury was worse than Sheppards'.

How is this remotely relevent? Would you be happy seeing the recipient of mark of the year banned for knocking someone out with a knee to the back of the head, are you happy for tackling to go the same way as the bump? Well that's the logical way this game is going, when you accept this as a justification. No concession that footy is an inherently tough game, that people can get hurt playing it.

 

[sherb]

He didn't mean to hit him in the head.

Quality troll KE.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Fact is if you don't have any priors other than flat out punching a player in the head you can do anything and only get 2 weeks. That is not right.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

The MRP guidelines state that contact to the head should not be graded as "low". It (quite rightly) doesn't state that the grading for incidents involving the head should start at "high" - and suggesting that a blow to the head should be "high" as a minimum is ridiculous. That's what the "contact" grading is there for.

That's not what I said - I said any hits to the head like that should not be regarded as medium as it is clearly forceful contact to the head using a part of the body which can cause great damage to the jaw/skull/face/brain if hit in the wrong spot.

The MRP also doesn't take into account what "could have happened if things turned out differently" - only what did happen. Earlier this season Franklin laid an extremely crude "spoil", which turned into a headlock as he fell to the ground, landing directly on his opponent's head. The incident had the potential for an extremely serious neck injury, possibly even paralysis. No action was taken by the MRP, because (thankfully) the Adelaide player didn't suffer any actual injury.

Franklin was lucky not to get suspended for that, it was an intentional & reckless act which could have resulted in severe injury. The MRP should not take into account the result of the incident (ie did the player suffer a concussion, fracture etc) but should take into account the possible consequences of an action. Eg if you get booked for speeding or drink-diving it's not because you have had an accident but because you have acted in a manner which has created an unsafe environment and therefore increased the likelihood of an accident occurring.

For what it's worth, the MRP guidelines do state that "a raised forearm or elbow is usually conclusive that the strike was intentional". McKernan is very lucky to get away with "reckless" intent.

Agreed, I fail to see how they could argue that was not intentional.

As for the McGinnity case.. his crude tackle resulted in his opponent suffering a concussion (as distinct from Sheppard, who passed his concussion test). Both were given 2 weeks. Fair enough in my book. McGinnity also had an extra week tacked on because of carry over points from a previous offence. Do the crime, do the time. No sympathy on that front.

I think McGinnity was pretty harshly done by - compare his tackle where the players arms weren't pinned to the Trengove one where he got 2 weeks (3 after contesting) where Dangerfield's arms were pinned so couldn't protect his head when slung to ground. I would have though McGinnity should have got a reprimand with an early plea or perhaps 1 week at worst, 2 weeks (would have been 3 if not for his record?) was pretty harsh I think.