MRP / Trib. Mitch Duncan bump on Robbie Fox discussion - not sure of report yet

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If you executed a perfect shoulder to shoulder bump and the player then gets knocked out because they hit their head on the ground because of the impact of the bump, would that by extension fall under the duty of care of the person performing the bump or not.
The answer is yes if it is considered reasonable outcome that the player's head would hit the ground.

But I dont think that applies here - Fox was already going down any contact was made and may well have hit his head against the ground if Duncan wasn't there, albeit probably not so forcefully (not that it was forceful considering no signs of concussion)
 
Surely he gets a week, according to the MRO 'criteria'. And surely the club is then able to appeal and present a compelling case for Mitch having no other reasonable cause to contest the footy (including all the very salient info already noted here about how Fox actually initiates the contact).

So I think if you're saying, 'they'll call that a week', you're right. And if you're saying 'he'll definitely get off', you'll also ultimately be correct.
So the AFL should just bypass the bulltish, and declare if the matter was appealed Duncan will get off, so no case to waste money on
 

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good points

I'm still waiting for some mention of the tacklee or bumpee's duty of care to himself. Also in the game a player picked up a ball, kept his head and went straight into Guthrie's? knees. IIRC Guthrie was basically standing still but got a free against. Okay, but what if the ball carrier had concussed himself in that action?
I remember years ago both Stokes and Mooney were suspended in Guthries position they then changed the rule thank Christ, Guthrie was stiff there wrong decision on behalf of the ump.
 
He could've executed a split-second frontal somersault to avoid the oncoming sliding player who went miles past the ball. The option was there.
Seen a young Nathen Ablett do that,not sure Mitch Duncan could match him in that department now.
 
He's in trouble I think. Chose to bump and made contact with the head.

You say this as though he had a choice.
He wasn't chasing someone in possession of the football.

It was an instinctive, protective arm in reaction to someone hurtling towards him with the expection of body-on-body contact. He can't be held responsible for Fox losing his footing at the last second.

At those speeds, he wouldn't have even had time to jump out of the way to avoid contact. Fox just ran past the ball. The contact was inevitable. Fox slipping was unpredictable.
The bump (even if high) was unfortunate but if Duncan gets pinged for "careless", it implies he could have been careful. Like, how? What would have greater care looked like? Not going for the ball? Not bracing himself ie. taking greater care of the opponent than his own personal safety?

That this is even entertained as a potentially "careless" bump is utterly illogical.

If every high contact during football actions is to be punished, then you should say goodbye to the hanger because jumping on someone's shoulders also means the reasonable expectation of head contact with your knee.
 
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Sounds like Duncan should get off, or worst case one week if we're unlucky. Fox chose to ran past the ball and into Duncan, which should clear Duncan of any deliberate intent grading.
 
Fox runs past the ball then slips and is about to run through duncan if duncan doesnt brace hes concussed himself.
Fox caused the collision and duncan has no other way to contest the ball which he was doing.

This is not like ones where a player chooses to bump instead of going the ball.

If this is a suspension the game has gone mad and been held hostage by potential litigation.

A fine explanation.
Well said PO.
 
So the AFL should just bypass the bulltish, and declare if the matter was appealed Duncan will get off, so no case to waste money on
I just see it playing out the same way as others have in the past. The blunt instrument that is the MRO reviews the incident according to their limited criteria and sanctions the player. Affected club then appeals, to allow for exploring the nuances of the case in detail with the members of the Tribunal.

I'd the first to say that the system is farcical and 'broken'. But I just don't see how you can sustain a philosophy that has the MRO abrogating their own guidelines to sanction, based on nothing more than 'knowing' that the Tribunal's more detailed exploration of the case will be very likely to result in the case ultimately being dismissed.
 

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As expected. The other two blokes getting banned while Duncan gets off though will make BigFooty a whole lot of fun for the next week. I can hear the tinfoil rustling already. :grinv1:
I was shocked to see no thread on the AFL Board one minute after the incident, in fact at all…
 
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