- Banned
- #1
We know the AFL is at it's worst when it tries to muddy the waters and micromanage rule adjudication and penalties, mainly for PR purposes. We see this with the constant complaints about weekly shifts in rule interpretations and more recently the goal review technology.
There have been some mistifying decisions this season with regards to misconduct, bumping and now the NN tackle. Either this represents an attempt for the AFL to try and micromanage a players behavior, or send the message that they want players to ease off on the ferocity of tackles, or they have on a dime, revised and flipped how players will be treated with regards to reasonably forseeing the consequences of a bump or tackle.
Now if this is all on Christian and the AFL aren't pulling the strings, then he is absolutely having a shocking one, however I think the decisions he is making are likely being massaged. This was a major concern when the shift to the MRO was announced, that the abbreviated process and lack on independance, was a vehicle for the AFL to take more of a hand behind the scenes.
https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/04/25/lack-of-independece-leaves-mro-wide-open-for-critics/
My real gripe with him, and it would apply for any decision, where there was some confusion, was his very charged running commentary in the media. Whether this was an attempt to shift the narrative, and prejudice the tribunal, I have no idea. But I do suspect it was in part calculation, to declare it was an easy call for him to make and that this wasn't the AFL, messing heavy handedly with things it really shouldn't.
There have been some mistifying decisions this season with regards to misconduct, bumping and now the NN tackle. Either this represents an attempt for the AFL to try and micromanage a players behavior, or send the message that they want players to ease off on the ferocity of tackles, or they have on a dime, revised and flipped how players will be treated with regards to reasonably forseeing the consequences of a bump or tackle.
Now if this is all on Christian and the AFL aren't pulling the strings, then he is absolutely having a shocking one, however I think the decisions he is making are likely being massaged. This was a major concern when the shift to the MRO was announced, that the abbreviated process and lack on independance, was a vehicle for the AFL to take more of a hand behind the scenes.
https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/04/25/lack-of-independece-leaves-mro-wide-open-for-critics/
My real gripe with him, and it would apply for any decision, where there was some confusion, was his very charged running commentary in the media. Whether this was an attempt to shift the narrative, and prejudice the tribunal, I have no idea. But I do suspect it was in part calculation, to declare it was an easy call for him to make and that this wasn't the AFL, messing heavy handedly with things it really shouldn't.