Bone’s beef: Robbie Gray tribunal decision signals fight to save the bump has been lost, it’s now time for everyone to play on

THE battle to save the bump in the AFL has been lost. Fans and players need to understand the new rules, accept them, and play on, writes Chris McDermott.

A sombre Robbie Gray after his appeal to the tribunal on Tuesday. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Martin

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HOUSTON — or should that be Michael Christian — we have a problem.

A serious problem, in the wake of Robbie Gray’s one-match suspension for his head-high collision with Jeremy McGovern.

Players are saying they don’t know the laws of the game and what is acceptable and what is not.

One player, who is involved in similar collisions to Gray’s almost every time he goes for the ball says and I quote, “I don’t even know what the system is, what the rules are, what you can and can’t do — no one does.”

If that is even partly accurate the game has got a massive problem three weeks out from the start of the season.

Hugh Greenwood gets his kick away under heavy pressure from Charlie Dixon and Robbie Gray. Picture Sarah Reed

Power forward Charlie Dixon is confused and he wants answers.

“What’s a player supposed to do,” he said in defence of his teammate.

The answer, Charlie, is to go for the ball.

You get the feeling Charlie is not a lone voice here, but the game and the players can’t have it both ways.

You want protection, you want safety, you want longevity in the game, then these are the ramifications. It is not always win, win win for every player.

Sometimes you’re going to lose and Charlie as a player you will lose here because this will impact on the way you play.

One day you’re going to make a mistake, an error of judgment a split-second decision and hit a player high.

Charlie Dixon almost ends Brad Sheppard!#afl #JLTSeries #WCE pic.twitter.com/PRRCShbXEo

— Lace out (@laceoutofficial) February 26, 2018

And yes, you will suffer the consequences, but this is what the AFL Players Association and the AFL have demanded, so accept it and adapt.

The complaining must stop.

The public has complained for years about it and it has fallen on deaf ears.

The viewing public, that puts their bums on seats to watch the game and the players they love, rain, hail or shine have championed the need for physical contact to remain in the game, but they have lost.

The fight is over. History. There will be no comeback.

The complaining must stop for everyone’s sake.

If you need further clarification Charlie, make a call and summon the men in suits.

Make you frustration known but understand there are far greater powers at work here than yours.

Do the crime, do the time.

Head-high contact is no longer a “Gray area”.