TOPIC:

After Daniel Merritt got off for clear head high contact that resulted in a broken nose of a Melbourne player on the weekend it has brought Fyfe's suspension even more into discussion and now a lot of pressure is coming from Melbourne commentators for the AFL to overturn Fyfe's suspension or change the rules before the Brownlow to make him eligible. It will the biggest match review blunder of all time if Fyfe tops the voting but is ruled ineligible in the face of what others like Merritt and Franklin have got away with.

I agree the Fyfe suspension was frivolous and it should never have happened however i dont reckon they should change the rules during the season,certainly something has to happen re-suspensions and the brownlow for next season.

To change it now wouldnt be fair on others rubbed out in the past over nothing,Chris Grant comes to mind.

Should a player recieve umpire votes in a game when they have been suspended??
I'm just asking the question,i havent given it much thought myself but its worth a thought.

I agree they shouldn't change the rules around the Brownlow mid-season 30plus but I do think they should revisit Fyfe's suspension given the whole interpretation of head high contact by MRP has changed since round 2. If the incident was to happen now, I don't think he would be suspended or even face the music.

30plusyeardrought wrote: I agree the Fyfe suspension was frivolous and it should never have happened however i dont reckon they should change the rules during the season,certainly something has to happen re-suspensions and the brownlow for next season.

To change it now wouldnt be fair on others rubbed out in the past over nothing,Chris Grant comes to mind.

Should a player recieve umpire votes in a game when they have been suspended??
I'm just asking the question,i havent given it much thought myself but its worth a thought.

If the umpire lays the report then he will NOT give the player a vote no matter how outstanding the player was. It's for FAIREST & BEST, not BEST. A few years back Greg Williams missed the votes when he had 40+ possessions BUT mouthed off all day at the Umpires. Bookmakers would scream if Fyfe was re-instated. Why not bring back Stevie J also, Selwood?. NO WAY.

BC wrote: I agree they shouldn't change the rules around the Brownlow mid-season 30plus but I do think they should revisit Fyfe's suspension given the whole interpretation of head high contact by MRP has changed since round 2. If the incident was to happen now, I don't think he would be suspended or even face the music.

Yep thats true BC,the MRP have been getting it wrong for years.

Last year or the year before i cant remember when,Maxwell i think it was cleaned up McGinity late with a head high in a scratchie and did some damage nothing happened no suspension and a Crows player again last season i think(my memory is shot for whens and wheres) V the Eagles and only copped 1 or so when others for much less were getting 3 or more.

I think they need to just go back to the old fashioned tribunal for penalities,no carry over points,no early pleas,if its worth 4 give 4 if its frivolous throw it out!

I think the Merrett decision just confirms what everybody already knows. The match review panel is making it up as it goes along. Also how the hell did Conca only get 2 weeks for his act? Not in play and hit the guy when he had his back turned.

I think the meaning of fairest and best has changed from the days of Flower, greig and others and as such the relevance of the Chas or eric has chnaged, perhaps they need to be brought into the 2014's

mikeh wrote: I think the Merrett decision just confirms what everybody already knows. The match review panel is making it up as it goes along. Also how the hell did Conca only get 2 weeks for his act? Not in play and hit the guy when he had his back turned.

Yea the Conca decision confuses me. There is no way in hell that what he did is equal to what Fyfe did.

What more could we expect. The MRP work on behalf of an organisation that are always making it up as they go along. (side note - Please God oh please let all these puppet masters end up in court under oath in the Robinson v Essendon case). I can't think of too many other workplaces that have the right to fine and/or suspend their employees for making slight errors of judgement when going about the work they are employed to do, in this case attack the footy, get it and kick goals. Imagine if parliament house invoked a fine & suspension regime for slight errors of judgement. I wonder if the MRP would stand up to a legal battle as it acts as a restraint of trade...'sorry judge, but why can't I go to work today. Oh that's right I attacked the footy hard which is what my coach on behalf of my employer instructed me to do'....If it ain't malicious let them play for fux sake

Fyfe's bump was purely accidental head contact, he had both feet or at least one foot on the ground and he was dazed by the head contact himself. The AFL is a joke and if Fyfe tops the count it will be the biggest talking point of the season if it isn't already. Mark Evans has already ruled out making him eligible. Typical of an organisation that can't admit it fucked up.