We are in a different era in regards to suspensions. Players can miss week/s for high hits and hard tackles. I'm not against that at all, the rules are in place to protect those who play the game from injury and there is overwhelming evidence that the head must be protected.
However some punishments don't remain equal and don't really match the crime. Should a punishment be greater based on what time of the year you get punished or because you happen to be the best player in the game? No.
I think one game suspensions, minor suspensions, should be handed out only in the home and away season and not make a player ineligible for the Brownlow. The Best and Fairest. You can be a fair player but make a mistake, competing a bit too hard and get suspended now. That has changed from what it used to be.
Seeing as a lot of these actions are accidental but still require a suspension. I think there needs to be some adjustments as to just what we are taking away from a player in terms of their punishment.
One week is not just one week. Miss a home and away game. Big deal. No player wants to miss. But it's not the same as missing a final. The punishment is not equal, one week is not just one week, circumstances change this. A suspension to a player who polls first in the Brownlow medal is a far greater than it is for every other player in the competition.
I think minor suspensions should not make you exempt from the Brownlow medal and no one should miss a grand final (or any final for that matter) because they accidently carried someone forward in a tackle and they hit their head on the ground or because a player deliberately keeps their head down and someone makes high medium grade contact and is suspended for a week.
Missing a 1 finals game vs missing one home and away game is not the same level of punishment. Missing a week and a Brownlow medal is not the same level of punishment as just missing a week.
It's never been easier to be suspended in the game that it currently is. I think we need to accept this and move with the times and allow the punishment to account for whether the game they will miss will be a final and whether they poll top votes.
You would hate to see the best player in the game not get the medal because they missed a week for a hard tackle. You would hate to see a top AFL player miss a grand final because they brushed an opponent's head by accident.
The moment is coming and it's going to put the AFL in a really difficult position.
I think most players and fans would take an extra weeks suspension in the following H/A games than miss one finals game.
Thoughts?
However some punishments don't remain equal and don't really match the crime. Should a punishment be greater based on what time of the year you get punished or because you happen to be the best player in the game? No.
I think one game suspensions, minor suspensions, should be handed out only in the home and away season and not make a player ineligible for the Brownlow. The Best and Fairest. You can be a fair player but make a mistake, competing a bit too hard and get suspended now. That has changed from what it used to be.
Seeing as a lot of these actions are accidental but still require a suspension. I think there needs to be some adjustments as to just what we are taking away from a player in terms of their punishment.
One week is not just one week. Miss a home and away game. Big deal. No player wants to miss. But it's not the same as missing a final. The punishment is not equal, one week is not just one week, circumstances change this. A suspension to a player who polls first in the Brownlow medal is a far greater than it is for every other player in the competition.
I think minor suspensions should not make you exempt from the Brownlow medal and no one should miss a grand final (or any final for that matter) because they accidently carried someone forward in a tackle and they hit their head on the ground or because a player deliberately keeps their head down and someone makes high medium grade contact and is suspended for a week.
Missing a 1 finals game vs missing one home and away game is not the same level of punishment. Missing a week and a Brownlow medal is not the same level of punishment as just missing a week.
It's never been easier to be suspended in the game that it currently is. I think we need to accept this and move with the times and allow the punishment to account for whether the game they will miss will be a final and whether they poll top votes.
You would hate to see the best player in the game not get the medal because they missed a week for a hard tackle. You would hate to see a top AFL player miss a grand final because they brushed an opponent's head by accident.
The moment is coming and it's going to put the AFL in a really difficult position.
I think most players and fans would take an extra weeks suspension in the following H/A games than miss one finals game.
Thoughts?
