ISAAC Smith has said he\u2019s started to see examples of AFL players staging for free kicks amidst the dangerous tackle crackdown, predicting we could be in for \u201ctwo or three years\u201d of confusion.<\/p>\n
Twenty-one players have been suspended for dangerous tackles in 2023, with just three successfully overturning a rough conduct charge at the AFL Tribunal.<\/p>\n
In the absence of a notable rule change or an AFL executive putting their name to the crackdown, confusion has reigned king as players continue to get penalised.<\/p>\n
But as an added side effect, the Cats star suggested players have started taking advantage of the new rules.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing I don\u2019t want to see, which I think I\u2019m starting to see creep into the game, as a player, we understand we\u2019ve got the responsibility to make sure we don\u2019t injure an opposition player\u2019s head but I feel like players, as players do, are starting to find little tricks or nuances to maybe draw a free kick from this,\u201d he said one SEN\u2019s Crunch Time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you don\u2019t want that to come into the game as well, because then we\u2019re going to take one step forward and two steps back.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think this is going to evolve over the next two or three years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith also gave his take on what an umpiring fix could be to find middle ground between officials and players.<\/p>\n
But he further warned of a rule change that could change the essence of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know tackles have gone up a lot over the year, but we don\u2019t pay incorrect disposals anymore,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we blow the whistle quicker, if we pay incorrect disposal, which is an actual rule that\u2019s been in the game forever and a day that we don\u2019t pay anymore [we could start to fix this].\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot that I ever want it to come to this, but it feels like it\u2019s going to get to the stage where players will not be able to take players to ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerard Whateley replied, \u201cIt feels like we need the AFL to answer that question.\u201d<\/p>\n