2023 Finals Series

[KTigers]

mmm.... so now we have "the football act", the new go to for all those seeking to get off tribunal charges. Soon we'll have
the boofhead contingent down in Melbourne claiming it lies at the heart of the integrity of the game and should be
declared "sacrosanct" itself.

[Daisi]

This is a new low for the AFL. The Melbourne player's career is basically over, and the Collingwood player gets off. That's outrageous. All the AFL talk about protecting players from concussion and CTE is just that, talk. Nothing they say about protecting players can be taken seriously.

They really want Collingwood in the Grand Final, don't they?

I just want to add this....The Melbourne player was knocked out and players on the field thought he may have been dead...that's how bad this collision was. Have you ever seen another player knocked out cold from an attempted smother? nobody jumps that high...

This was, at the least, careless or reckless.

disgusting. And I just saw Eddie McGuire's reaction to the decision and I literally feel sick to the stomach. There is no sympathy or feeling for the injured player at all...

[Scottee]

Maynard got off and is free to play in the Preliminary Final. Now everyone knows how to take out an opposition's star player.

Tortured doublethink is the only way to describe this. In years gone by was simply as a "charge" and was a very unambiguous way of getting suspended.

Now it is legitimate to take out any player after the act of kicking the ball as long as you were attempting to smother because it is "in the play".

Only lawyers can produce this sort of travesty.

If the same had happened to Paddy, how many on here would say it was "accidental". Is Tom next in line?

I won't get into the technicalities, but suffice to say Maynard had Bradshaw lined up and directly in his vision when he was charging him. It can hardly be argued that he didn't see the contact coming because he had his eyes on the ball or that he was outside field of view. The impact was a conscious choice.

This idiotic application of ad hoc precedents such as "in the play" is a perfect example of how, as an organisation the AFL doesn't know where it is going.



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[barry]

The old boys network has won. Terrible result for the games integrity.

[MattW]

I certainly thought it was a very poor attempt at a smother. An effective smother is when a player runs in from the side and launches low and horizontally, close to the ball just as it leaves the boot. To me this looked like "being seen to attempt something" rather than a realistic effort. But then players "leap in hope" all the time.

There is so much debate around this one, very difficult to say which way the ruling will go. I can see the case for "footy act gone wrong" and also for "careless and consequences could have been foreseen".

It was a poor attempt at smother. I just feel really bad for Brayshaw to have received such head trauma, with life-long consequences.

I think the rules have to change to require players take greater steps to avoid the possibility of coming in contact with the opponent's head. I thought the comments from Chris Scott and Ross Lyon the night before were pretty telling. They tell their players to do all things possible to avoid hitting the opponent's head. The obligations placed on players should be stricter to reflect that sentiment.

[Captain]

I think the right result occurred. Was a pure accident and didn’t warrant a suspension.

[Hotpotato]

So they have condoned and declared that a legal act for future protagonists .

They are stupid . It was very careless and indeed reckless.

It should be appealed.

[mcs]

The result might be right to some degree at this point in time, but I doubt it'll stand as precedence for too long.

At some point the AFL is going to have its hand forced in terms of actively enforcing an effective duty of care in the way it runs the game. The sling tackle crackdown being the first step towards that.

If it wasn't a finals match, I think he would have been no chance to get off the charge.

[stevoswan]

Maynard got off and is free to play in the Preliminary Final. Now everyone knows how to take out an opposition's star player.

Disgusting decision by the tribunal. Makes "the head is sacrosanct" claim by the league an absolute mockery.

No one can ever again be seriously charged with 'charging', ie: bumping while off the ground....."I was attempting to smother".....it will be known as the Maynard defence.....and as you say, sets a precedent that can/will be used to take out opposition guns.

The AFL is officially a joke and the head is no longer sacrosanct.

[stevoswan]

I think the right result occurred. Was a pure accident and didn’t warrant a suspension.

You must think concussion is a joke Captain. Old school tough talk seems to be your thing. If you think turning his shoulder into Brayshaw's head to 'protect himself' was an 'accident' and that he had no other option that's real sad.

[Captain]

You must think concussion is a joke Captain. Old school tough talk seems to be your thing. If you think that was an 'accident' that's real sad.

Grow up and don’t put words in my mouth.

[stevoswan]

Grow up and don’t put words in my mouth.

You said it was an accident.

- - - Updated - - -

Maynard chose to turn his body and shoulder Brayshaw in the head.....anyone who says he had no other option is deluded. All players are told they have a 'duty of care' towards other players heads/brains. Maynard is obviously stupid....or a thug.

[Captain]

You said it was an accident.

Yes, I felt it was an accident. If you don’t agree, fine, then that’s your opinion.

I didn’t say concussion is a joke though. I resent that accusation and it sickens me. I’m fed up with your constant BS personal attacks too if you disagree with an opinion.

[stevoswan]

Yes, I felt it was an accident. If you don’t agree, fine, then that’s your opinion.

I didn’t say concussion is a joke though. I resent that accusation and it sickens me. I’m fed up with your constant BS personal attacks too if you disagree with an opinion.

I may have overstepped the mark with the 'joke' accusation, I apologise.....but I stand by everything else I have said about this incident.

[Kafka's Ghost]

As expected, the Martin decision resulted in a reduction to a one week suspension. Whether you agree with this outcome, or the Maynard one, or not, the whole system has been reduced to farce.


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