Well, that's it. Wrap it up folks, the tackle is dead, and so is the game.
You can't even lay a good hard tackle anymore without being suspended, so how on earth are these players supposed to play the game. Should they just not tackle anymore?
What if I asked you what percentage of tackles this year had been deemed dangerous enough to warrant a penalty? What if I asked you what percentage had been deemed dangerous enough to warrant a suspension? Would you guess 5%? Maybe a little more conservative and guess 1%?
Well you would be incorrect. The answer is that of all tackles this year, the MRO has only cited 0.1% of them.
As for suspensions, we're looking at a whopping total of 0.03% of tackles that have been deemed dangerous enough to miss weeks of game time - admittedly four have now been overturned, so it would be closer to 0.05% if we're talking just MRO.
By our numbers - which seem to differ slightly from figures given by David Zita recently - put together with some help from @PollyPorridge on Twitter and friend of the show and diehard Eagles man Tim, there have been 20 instances graded as dangerous tackles by the MRO.
Only 11 of these have been seen as suspendable, and now four of those have been overturned or reduced. 10 have been fines.
Round | Player | Victim | Penalty |
1 | Matthew Johnson | Josh Dunkley | $2500 |
1 | Jhye Clark | Jack Steele | $2500 |
3 | Trent Rivers | Conor Rozee | $2500 |
4 | Nick Vlastuin | Dan Butler | $2500 |
5 | Charlie Cameron | Jake Lever | $2500 |
6 | Izak Rankine | Jye Caldwell | $2500 |
6 | Tom Barrass | Michael Walters | 1 Week |
7 | Chad Warner | Will Day | $2500 |
7 | Jack Higgins | Aliir Aliir | 3 Weeks |
8 | Tom Liberatore | Will Day | 1 Week |
9 | Jack Scrimshaw | Liam Stocker | 1 Week |
10 | Eric Hipwood | Nick Vlastuin | 1 Week |
10 | Harrison Jones | Zac Fisher | 1 Week |
10 | Willem Drew | Jai Newcombe | $2500 |
11 | James Peatling | Tom Atkins | $2500 |
12 | Harley Reid | Darcy Wilson | 2 Weeks |
12 | Harry Edwards | Max King | $2500 |
15 | Patrick Dangerfield | Sam Walsh | Dismissed |
18 | Toby Bedford | Tim Taranto | Dismissed |
18 | Charlie Cameron | Liam Duggan | Dismissed |
But that can't be true, can it? Such great minds as Dermott Brereton and 20-years-retired Leigh Matthews have told me the game has gone soft, and players can't even tackle anymore?
Charlie Cameron has been cited for 2 of his 40 tackles this season - a number that sees him as the most tackling Charlie in the AFL, but far from the most tackling player. In fact, when we look at who lays the most tackles, the thought that it is a tecnique issue becomes a little more prevalent.
Of the top 50 tacklers in the competition, only Toby Bedford has been cited, and none have been charged with a dangerous tackle.
Of the top 50 on average, only Tom Liberatore has been found guilty of a dangerous tackle.
Players today are faster and stronger than ever, and also have been tackling more than ever in the last 15 or so years. There are almost twice as many tackles laid a game in 2024 than there were in 2000.
Maybe the secret to defeating 2000 Essendon was to simply tackle them.
Does that mean there isn't a problem with the MRO?
These are two completely different discussions.
The main problem with the grading system currently is that it tends to grade backwards from a concussion rather than forwards towards one to grade on severity.
The first question that needs to be asked in every instance is "Was this an illegal action?"
This is a murky question at the moment, as nobody - from players, to journalists, to the tribunal, to the appeals board - seems to know what constitutes an illegal action when it comes to a dangerous tackle.
The sticking point has been potential to cause harm, but simply stepping foot on a football field has the potential to cause harm. Pinning the arms is seen as a good argument, but with players typically holding the ball below their waist, there aren't many other ways you can tackle.
This isn't a problem that can be fixed with a knee-jerk solution, it is a problem that requires an off-season of thought with a panel of experts - including AFLPA, AFLCA, Coaches, Doctors and Biomechanists - to come to a conclusion, and have a more cohesive and understandable grading matrix going forward, where we are all clear on what is and isn't dangerous.
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