The Match Review Officer’s grading of a George Hewett off-ball strike will “set an example” for the rest of the AFL season, according to triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown, as the Carlton on-baller faces a nervous wait.
Hewett and dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale were tangling at a stoppage during Carlton’s win over Brisbane on Friday night when the Blues midfielder’s arm appeared to make contact with Neale’s chin.
The AFL tribunal guidelines for the grading of striking were strengthened over the summer, with an increased onus on players to not commit a strike – even when seeking to fend and push their opponent.
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Now where a player intends to forcefully push or fend an opposition player off the ball and the effect is that the player “strikes” their opponent, the strike will usually be graded as intentional rather than careless.
“This incident is not great timing considering the changes to the AFL’s tribunal rules and the changing landscape,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy.
“Last year the clip for Lachie Neale’s chin probably would’ve been a misconduct fine. This year … no accidental strikes anymore, (so) a careless charge becomes intentional. Low impact and intentional is a week (ban).
“It’s not a very strong strike, but in a week where Jimmy Webster gets seven weeks for a bump, is the threshold lower now for a one-week suspension? We’re about to find out.”
Brown said how the MRO graded Hewett’s contact would “set an example for the season”.
“It’s hard to know at the start of the season because usually they establish the benchmarks,” Brown told Fox Footy.
“I don’t think he was trying to punch him hard. I don’t think he deserves to get suspended, but I understand the AFL’s take on community standards.”
Melbourne champion Garry Lyon said, according to new guidelines, Hewett would be “right on the border” of suspension.
“No one’s been suspended (for these types of incidents). You’ve had open slather for little tricky gut punches for the last 15 or 20 years, you could write a cheque for $1500 and give one to the guts,” Lyon told Fox Footy.
“But there’s been talk about a change in community standards. So community standards might now turn around and say: ‘You can’t punch him in the neck.’”
Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley added: “The initial contact was halfway up the upper arm and slipped up. Maybe a fine or slap on the wrist, but I don’t think there was enough contact in that.”
Neale retaliated after Hewett’s strike, but the Lions star’s contact to Hewett’s midriff is unlikely to put him in any danger of a ban.
The MRO laid one charge from Thursday night’s season-opener, with Sydney’s Justin McInerney offered a $3750 fine for rough conduct against Melbourne captain Max Gawn. The incident was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact and body contact.
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