Are there grounds for changing the suspension system?

Question

Like you see c**p players from c**p clubs like Freo take a cheap shot when their season's already stuffed ... and even if the guy gets ten weeks - what's it gonna matter to Freo. They were clearly coached to go out and lay some cheap shots on today.

Could perhaps the AFL /Tribunal determine - "nope that was obviously coached" ... you can start a Solomon's 10 week suspension from Round 1 next year. (And if you trade Solomon the tribunal gets to choose which player is out)

It's like I reckon Grand Final reports should automatically have triple demerits!

Answer 1

I agree with you that more should be done by the AFL in relation to matters such as this incident.

It was obvious from before the first bounce Freo would target a lot of Gellong's runners. Look at the last time they met - Crowley & Carr were into Ablett all day .... Carr got three weeks for kneeing Ablett in that game.

Answer 2

Woah you sound like a frustrated fan.. Dont blame ya I think theres a whole angry mob of us out there..

I dont usually shoot holes in others ideas without providing alternate ideas but if your question had answers then I wouldve hoped the shoddy system be fixed by now!!

Unfortunately though, assuming coaches have directed players to purposely seek and destroy cant be regulated and would probly end up in coaches charging tribunal for slander..

Great initial idea though and the more ideas thrown about may help the ultimate solution one day... we hope..

And yeah I think if someones reported on field in a grand final they are taken off field immediately and not to play another minute of the grandy.. And not to recieve a medal if their team wins.. harsh but it would make players think about cheap shots b4 they take an easy winning option.. mayb

Answer 3

**I think you've raised a great point.

I saw one of the Freo Assistant Coaches (I think that's who he was) saying that they went out there to stop Ling and Ablett and they were happy to have achieved that by half time and started laughing.  

This suggested to me that they were going to try and get rid of them any way possible because they had nothing to lose.  

If you know that you're not going to win it's not fair that you can get away with hurting other players because it's not going to make a difference to you.**

Answer 4

isnt ten weeks enough??

yeah, cheap shot, not called for, barry hall like....but 10 weeks on the sideline is bad enough for any footballer....weather in the AFL or under 14's team!

Answer 5

I reckon this incident highlights the need of a send off rule in this sport.

Send off PLUS a suspension. See how many players would do it then - as they would be penalising the team by them having to go the rest of the game one man short. The coaches would soon change their tune &  hold the players more accountable. The incidents of violence would drop dramatically.

I know everyone has said, in the past, that there should not be a send off rule - but what other sports allow the likes of what Solomon did to Ling happen, without a penalty on the day?

Answer 6

I totally agree with you, whats the point of suspending him when it means nothing to the club, give them something which actually disciplines them for what they have done.

Answer 7

Yes i think so Quandry.There are too many smart asses out ther who just dont give 2 hoots about the rules,make the penalties harsher and it might stop some of these smart asses...

Yeah the Grand Final should definatly have harsher penalties too...

Yeah they wer'nt just taking cheap shots at Ling neither.I say and watched about 5 different guys 'target' Ablett..It bloody stinks...

Freo arnt good enough to win against the Cats so they gotta play dirty and 'target' the main players..

Like someone else said-Nothing but low down dogs..

(Not a Cats supporter,but could'nt stand watching Freo being dirty pricks y'day)....

Answer 8

Sorry guys, what's the macho posturing and testosterone release before a game all about? What purpose does it serve other than to whet the appetite of the mob. The AFL knows the crowd want blood so they let it go. TV viewers want to see blood - how many replays do we see of actual or suspected cheap shots so we can play judge and jury? Don't expect to see repeated shots of a streaker from a dozen different angles though.

The AFL rigidly maintain control of the pictures shown and which guarantee advertisers the biggest bang for their buck. AFL does not want it to be a clean game. Without the "BIFF" AFL is a game of keepings off, interrupted by an occasional kick which scores 6 points.

Seriously though, ordering players off, a SIN BIN, will so seriously affect a team's performance, that no player in his right mind will contemplate outbursts of ego. AFL won't entertain it because it takes the "BIFF" out of the game, and the howling mob are not satisfied, the advertisers are not satisfied, and anyway, the AFL are not the first to try it.

Players in their last game, a grand final, can take players out of the game with king hits, and their team is not penalised for subsequently winning the game.

Bring in the red card. It makes sense.

Answer 9

Good idea Quandry.

Answer 10

Nah, I reckon leave it as it is. Otherwise there'd be too much controversy. How would you determine whether the player wasn't worth much to the team or not? They'd have to be consistent with their desicions or it wouldn't work. I think they should leave it as it is.