WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has told the league to butt out of clubs\u2019 training programs, following reports that boxing would be banned.<\/p>\n
Earlier this season, Hawthorn forward Mitchell Lewis was concussed in a sparring session with twin tall Jacob Koschitzke and missed a meeting with Sydney.<\/p>\n
The competition cleared Hawthorn after an investigation but ruled that boxing between players and officials is no longer allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe AFL should never be in the business of telling clubs how they can train and how they can\u2019t train,\u201d he told a press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that messages out of AFL House aren\u2019t too directive, and too arbitrary around what you can and can\u2019t do.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur boxing coach Johnny does a magnificent job with our players one-on-one, there\u2019s a lot of sparring with mitts.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because one club gets it wrong from a risk management point of view doesn\u2019t mean that every other club, all of a sudden, becomes vulnerable and needs to eliminate the risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beveridge\u2019s comments came before the distinction had been made, having already established that his players don\u2019t spar with one another in their strength and conditioning training.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil we get something formal, we won\u2019t even take much notice,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll continue boxing with Johnny. It\u2019s a really important part of our program, an important conditioning aspect of what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The top-of-the-table Bulldogs beat Adelaide by 49 points at Mars Stadium on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
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