MRP / Trib. Tom Hawkins "made an example of" - accepts 1 match suspension

[thegerman]

Just re saw the love tap, and the fall is two actions. He falls backwards and then goes loose and buckles at the knees while throwing the arms up. Bloke was staging for a free kick and didn't even get that. In the words of the Simpsons, "ee's a flopper".

Worse than Robert Horry

 

[thegerman]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-06-06/stop-the-jumper-punches-tom-says-bartel

The 28-year-old was lucky to escape suspension last year for a similar hit on Giant Phil Davis.

Amateurs.

The worst is citing the difference with Zak Jones, that's not the one I'd use. I'm more concerned why Cotchin can get away with virtually the same action.

 

[PenAndPaper]

It is an absolute joke that players are getting a suspension for jumper punches, especially when they change the consequences halfway through a season...

 

[winty]

How long till Crouch recovers from his broken jaw by the way? Angling for a post-footy career in the WWE?

WWE wrestlers are a hell of a lot tougher than Crouch is.

 

[Vdubs]

It is an absolute joke that players are getting a suspension for jumper punches, especially when they change the consequences halfway through a season...

What makes you think a jumper punch in the throat from a guy with the strength and size of TH is so benign?
Not really the point though- they made a statement and the very week after, our Tom does that. Again.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

What makes you think a jumper punch in the throat from a guy with the strength and size of TH is so benign?
Not really the point though- they made a statement and the very week after, our Tom does that. Again.

I have no issue with the suspension but what I do have an issue with is the league changing the rules mid-season after precedence has been set. They're too trigger happy and reactive.

The umpires are frustrated, the players are frustrated and the fans are frustrated. Leave the game alone.

 

[ATSAM]

I really don't see why there's any debate here. As soon as it happened we all knew (surely ) that Tom was gone.....as Blakey posted...Do the "crime" do the time....

I have no doubt there was motive behind Tom's action...I actually don't blame him for it...obviously there was an incident on Joel and he ( along with Mitch Duncan) responded immediately. So something occurred. The ump called play on and Mitch and Joel took off while Tom went on with it... and now he misses a week that was an obvious result of his action.

A week off won't hurt him...though it may not help the team...which will no doubt be pointed out to him...though his reaction to support his mate who was being worked over is no major crime as far as I am concerned.

It happened....move on.

That may be so and good on for sticking up for Selwood, certainly the Umpires don't, but last year he was suspended for a similiar incident. This year we have had many such incidents from other players of other teams and nothing for them but a fine. Suddenly it is Tom in the spotlight again. he must feel a little bit of being 'picked on'

 

[Tony Barber]

I have no issue with the suspension but what I do have an issue with is the league changing the rules mid-season after precedence has been set. They're too trigger happy and reactive.

The umpires are frustrated, the players are frustrated and the fans are frustrated. Leave the game alone.

They haven't touched 'the game'.
They are just trying to remove bullshit acts outside of the game.

 

[cats_09]

Saw this on Facebook:

 

[BotsMaster]

Saw this on Facebook:

View attachment 378663

A lot of people in the AFL have short term memories.

 

[Cataholic]

I have no issue with the suspension but what I do have an issue with is the league changing the rules mid-season after precedence has been set. They're too trigger happy and reactive.

The umpires are frustrated, the players are frustrated and the fans are frustrated. Leave the game alone.

Absolutely this.

They've got to stop meddling, and trying to eliminate all passion from the game.

They're human, not robots.

 

[thejester]

I yearn, just a little, for the physicality of yesteryear.......

Card, Pickett, Dipper, Dermie, Rhys Jones, Senior, Jacko & Co must giggle at our definition of a 'punch' these days, and how we're steadily eliminating individual contests and emotion from the game.

Not sure how anyone could have watched Friday night's game and walked away thinking it lacked physicality, emotion or individual contests. You might want to check your glasses for rose tinting.

 

[thejester]

So why has it been changed? Are we supposed to accept that they just suddenly care about player safety now and didn't before? As i don't accept that

Because there was a sudden media consensus that it was a 'bad look' after the North/Melbourne game, in part because the fiction that had enabled it for so long - punches always lacked 'sufficient force' - was washed away by one recipient having a spew on the field in front of the MCC. The MRP then hiding behind the power of the matrix delayed in the inevitable for a couple of weeks.

 

[Cataholic]

Not sure how anyone could have watched Friday night's game and walked away thinking it lacked physicality, emotion or individual contests. You might want to check your glasses for rose tinting.

If you read my post carefully I didn't say the game was devoid of any of that...... I was saying that I'm sad to see the AFL slowly minimising it in our game.

You can't touch their the back, you can't hit them front on, you can't take their legs, you can't hit their arms, you can't shove them, you can't sling them, you can't push them over, and the hip and shoulder is almost dead and buried.

The game has softened that much they even want to eliminate the bounce.

I'm not condoning cheap shots or violence, but the game has over-corrected from the bad days. Just MO

 

[ryzza11]

Because there was a sudden media consensus that it was a 'bad look' after the North/Melbourne game, in part because the fiction that had enabled it for so long - punches always lacked 'sufficient force' - was washed away by one recipient having a spew on the field in front of the MCC. The MRP then hiding behind the power of the matrix delayed in the inevitable for a couple of weeks.

That is a big problem. The media have have way too much input in how the AFL is run.

 

[AM]

It is an absolute joke that players are getting a suspension for jumper punches, especially when they change the consequences halfway through a season...

It's the last bit that is disappointing. Changing the goal posts half way through the year is a disgrace.

That said, I'm all for ridding the game of jumper punches and sly punches in the guts. They are the antithesis of courage and permeate to junior footy levels.

 

[FredLeDeux]

It's the last bit that is disappointing. Changing the goal posts half way through the year is a disgrace.

That said, I'm all for ridding the game of jumper punches and sly punches in the guts. They are the antithesis of courage and permeate to junior footy levels.

Agreed, they were allowed for far too long, and should never have been permitted to become acceptable.

 

[maryjames]

In about 5 weeks there will be jumper punches and you won't hear a sound..

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Tom has a history of punching guys and has been suspended for it before IIRC, so maybe this one will be a wake-up call to the guy. He knew going in they were cracking down on it, and he still did it. Not very smart.

 

[Sticksman]

They've got to stop meddling, and trying to eliminate all passion from the game.

Yep. In the Hawkin's situation pay a free kick down field (probably would have resulted in a Crow's set shot on goal) or report him on the spot but to have the umpire 2 metres away unmoved with nothing eventuating until the following week when people who probably weren't even at the game determine a penalty is amateur hour.

 

[ATSAM]

Yep. In the Hawkin's situation pay a free kick down field (probably would have resulted in a Crow's set shot on goal) or report him on the spot but to have the umpire 2 metres away unmoved with nothing eventuating until the following week when people who probably weren't even at the game determine a penalty is amateur hour.

And the Umpire standing over two players wrestling Tom who could not get to his feet and doing nothing. If the AFL were really serious about violence on the field they would deal with each incident as it occurs and not do the 'example' response. It is the inconsistency that is the problem , the picking of examples for a few weeks and then on to the next and then the next. And some players seem to get a worse deal than others, many such as Hodge, Lewis when he played for Hawthorn just two who come to mind.
And not sure if this comes up on your screen but right now I am looking at a Ladbrokes ad with 2017 AFL round 12 Preview and a photo of us and NM. We are in old jumpers and I think I can see Taylor Hunt .... the others ?????

 

[ryzza11]

Tom has a history of punching guys and has been suspended for it before IIRC, so maybe this one will be a wake-up call to the guy. He knew going in they were cracking down on it, and he still did it. Not very smart.

I get your point but it is something that he's probably done his whole footballing life (not that it's necessary, but it was allowed) and it's now a mid season rule change. It's probably hard to just change out of the blue. Players are the same with sliding in for the ball, that's actually one of the great acts of Aussie Rules and they decided to change that too.

 

[Tony Barber]

I think the suspension worked. Without it I reckon there would have been about 20 jumper punches last night.
There were plenty to the chest, but none to the jaw from what I saw.

 

[Cataholic]

I think the suspension worked. Without it I reckon there would have been about 20 jumper punches last night.
There were plenty to the chest, but none to the jaw from what I saw.

They'll be back, when the AFL suddenly crusades against something else and forgets about them

 

[Sttew]

How unlucky was Tom to cop a 1 game suspension for an innocuous jumper punch, yet Michael Walters was charged with kneeing Dangerfield in the ribs and copped a $1000 fine.