Mark Robinson says Brian Lake deserves lengthy suspension for choker hold on North’s Drew Petrie
EXTENDED VERSION: BRIAN Lake in trouble, the worst decision of the year + Robbo’s Likes, Dislikes and Top Tweets. REPLAY LIVE CHAT.
Mark Robinson
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BRIAN Lake is in trouble and it’s just a matter of how much.
He should be suspended for four to five weeks for his strangulating manoeuvre on North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie.
Carlton’s Chris Judd received three weeks suspension for his “pressure point” application to Michael Rischitelli’s face in 2009.
Lake’s offence is much more serious.
THE BRIAN LAKE INCIDENT WAS HIGH ON THIS WEEK’S SUPERFOOTY PODCAST AGENDA. LISTEN BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE IN ITUNES
Petrie yesterday tried to downplay the incident, an admirable trait under the once-thriving players’ code, but the match review panel or the AFL Tribunal, if the incident is sent its way, cannot be so forgiving.
No one can accidentally wrap their hands around the throat of an opposition player.
Petrie said on Friday he was “nearly asleep’’ as Lake applied pressure, so clearly it was a deliberate act to hurt and panic Petrie.
What was Lake thinking?
This is a game of football and Lake put Petrie in a petrifying situation, where Petrie couldn’t breathe and was on the verge of losing consciousness.
It’s being described as a brain fade, but that is a whimsical response.
It was pathetic and despicable and Lake would be _ or should be _ ashamed at what transpired.
Please, don’t argue that ‘’these things happen’’, or we’re being too harsh on Lake.
He deserves condemnation.
Put yourself in Petrie’s situation. He was so momentarily panicked that he instinctively did whatever he could to get Lake to release his group. So, he gouged at Lake’s face. He would’ve been forgiven if he belted him.
On a weekend of good, bad and the ugly, Lake’s actions were inexcusably ugly.
The good came on the Gold Coast and at Adelaide Oval.
The Suns’ victory was everything we love about the game. Undermanned and exhausted, they withstood Collingwood in a dramatic final quarter. It was a quarter where every touch of the ball was crucial to the result.
If you watched it again, there would be hundreds of heroic moments from all Suns players. Swallow and O’Meara in the middle. Lynch and Bennell forward. May and Kolodjashnij back. The run of Harbrow. The presence of Zac Smith. It was about ticker and resilience.
The same can’t be said of the Magpies. They had a full bench and half as much conviction, and not only is a top four position out of reach, their position in the eight is vulnerable.
For that, they can blame themselves collectively. Certain individuals might be carrying baggage as well.
Clinton Young’s missed mark 25m out with two minutes to play was decisive. So, too, was Travis Cloke’s missed shot for goal from the same distance just before half-time.
The loss of Gary Ablett is a loss for the Suns and for the game and it’s saddening to think he could be denied a third Brownlow Medal.
There was a shudder when he went down, as opposed to the shriek of disbelief at Adelaide Oval, when the umpire called play on after Angus Monfries was dragged to the ground by Mark Baguley.
In a season of contentious decisions about incorrect disposal, that was the stinker.
If the AFL umpires department today declares it the correct decision, then we have lost the plot.
As it was, the Bombers won, Zaharakis and Myers were immense, Hurley played a bit up forward, and their season of ‘’us against the world’’ remains alive.
For Port Adelaide, it was their third loss in four matches and they have key injuries.
Luckily they play Richmond next week at the MCG. The Tigers may have won at the weekend, but the match was forgettable.
It was that kid of weekend.
Some good. Some bad. And some downright ugly.
R.I. P HOLDING THE BALL
IT was the worst decision of the season.
The worst because of the timing and the scores and, most importantly, because absolutely no-one with a semi-decent football brain thought it was nothing but a free kick to Essendon.
Angus Monfries ran into goal and was dragged down from behind by Essendon’s Mark Baguley.
Monfries didn’t handball the ball, or kick it, and he even tried to play for a free kick by flaying out his arms when hit the deck.
The umpire called play on, Monfries’ teammate Kane Mitchell picked up the loose ball and kicked the goal.
If it was a decision in the Grand Final, at the same time of the game, with the scores the same, there would probably be a riot.
Umpires boss Wayne Campbell will be required today to give an explanation.
Campbell has fronted when asked similar questions this season and his honesty is welcomed.
Just recently he said: “Clearly, we are having some trouble with holding the ball (decisions). That’s the issue everyone is frustrated with and we’re frustrated with it at the same time.”
He surely will be frustrated today.
Tried to give the umpire the benefit. Was it knocked out in the tackle? Was their prior opportunity? Was the umpire blinded?
Every question was dismissed.
What’s scary is thinking the umpire is thinking he made the right decision. He had the whistle and didn’t blow it and hopefully Campbell will tell us why.
If it’s a mistake, then OK, everyone makes them.
If he thought it wasn’t incorrect disposal, then we do have a problem.
The want for continuous football has confused umpires, players and fans and it is failing the game..
Unbelievably, “He tried to get rid of it’’ is now a rule. Used to think if you threw the ball, shovelled it out, or just let it go in a tackle after having time with the ball (prior opportunity), then the tackler was rewarded.
Cats coach Chris Scott yesterday had a dash at the umpires, but did it in his quaint manner.
Asked about the free kicks, he said: “The numbers are what they are. We’re not here to make excuses or complaints. We all have bad days. And if they had a bad day, so be it.
“We’ve got to suck it up and get on with it. And if there’s parts we don’t understand, then we’ll have a mature conversation during the week with the powers that be.”
The important bit was ‘’parts we don’t understand’’.
It’s a common thinking this season.
I will forever support umpires who adjudicate this crazy ball sport. In a moment, they have to decipher so much: Was the player pushed in the back, did he drop his knees, did he have prior, did he grab below the knees, did he touch him high, did he throw it, did he drag it in, did he try to push it out ...
It’s a tough gig, but it’s made tougher when the a cornerstone of the game _ incorrect disposal _ can be a lottery.
LIKES
1. David Swallow. Among many who stood up in the final quarter, although Swallow was outstanding from the start. Had 31 disposals and eight clearances and won a couple battles with Scott Pendlebury. Like his calmness with the ball in hand and like that he doesn’t try to do the impossible. Coaches talk of leadership and this bloke has plenty of it. Next captain after Gaz?
2. Jimmy Bartel. Can remember someone asking in 2010, who was the best wet weather player in the game. The answer was Jimmy Bartel. Ask again in 2014 and the answer remains the same. Had 19 touches and 15 tackles, which tells us he was up for the fight. It doesn’t tell us how strong he was over the ball and how he used his body to position and remove opposition from the contest. And he did it without his cape: The long-sleeve jumper.
3. The triple towers. One game doesn’t make a season, but the Blues fans have to cling to something. They saw it yesterday in the forward line. Twelve goals and 23 marks from Henderson, Casboult and White paved the way to a season-high 24 goals. The opposition was meek, to be kind, and the Blues abused it. Ball movement was quick and it gave the Blues 58 entries. Everitt was superb and so was Walker, and let’s hope the Blues can carry the form into Sydney.
4. Jason Winderlich. Gutsy coaching to send your best mid-sized forward to defence and it’s only gutsy if it works. Winderlich gave the team experience and run — he had 24 disposals and seven marks — while the rest of his teammates gave Port hell. The Bombers laid 96 tackles to strangle Port’s running game, with every player credited with at least one tackle. To think, Essendon lost to St Kilda and Melbourne. #whatifmeansnothing.
5. Levi Greenwood. Played five and six games respectively in 2012 and 2013 and 14 of 15 games this season, nine of which have returned 27-plus possessions. Against the Hawks, it was 27, seven tackles, eight clearances, two goals and a game-high six inside 50s. Despite the hoo-ha about Dermott Brereton’s column and the responses by Boomer Harvey and Nick Dal Santo, which earned them votes from the media, I thought Greenwood was best afield. He is another story of resilience.
6. Swans on song. Mick Malthouse famously asked a journo what was the meaning of “comes to play’’. He was being facetious. But if Mick needs modern-day evidence, he best look at Sydney. They come to play every week and on every ground. Against the Eagles, they had 192 contested possessions, the most of any club this season, and laid 102 tackles. Yes, it was in the wet, but the Swans play the same in the wet, the dry, the windy and be it night or day. Yesterday’s leaders were Luke Parker, Craig Bird and Jarrad McVeigh. Together they had 87 possessions, 24 tackles and 18 clearances.
7. Eddie Betts. Have to admit, thought the Crows were paying too much for Eddie, and am now wondering why the Blues didn’t up their offer. Making a good run for All Australian selection, although he has to knock out Boomer, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston, for a position. That’s 33 goals from Eddie, 33 goals the Blues would love.
8. Anthony Miles. Seriously, how did Miles not get a game for so long? In his five games with the Tigers, he has returned 19, 30, 28, 27 and 24 disposals and not laid under four tackles a game. In a season of lost hope, Miles is giving Tigers fans some joy.
9. Eric Mackenzie. All-Australian contenders can get lost in teams which don’t cut it, but that shouldn’t be the case for Mackenzie. Been outstanding and yesterday kept Buddy Franklin to one goal. The conditions didn’t suit the big blokes, but have also seen Buddy rip teams in the wet, so let’s not make too many excuses. In a disappointing year for the Eagles, Mackenzie is a winner and chance to trail only Matthew Priddis in the B & F.
10. Lachie Neale. Played just 37 games for the Dockers and is an emerging star. Is lost when the talk is about Fyfe and Mundy and Barlow, but Neale, similar to Nick Suban and Tendai Mzungu, gives the Dockers tremendous mid-size depth.
Honourable mentions: Petrie’s pack mark, Hansen’s 14 grabs, Seedsman’s goal, Stevie J’s 14 tackles, Libba in the wet, Marc Murphy’s courage, welcome back Morabito, Goodesy, Tom Rockliff, Alex Rance and want to say again, how ‘bout those Suns.
DISLIKE
1. Gazza. injury. A dislikes virgin until today, Ablett looks to be out for four to six weeks, which means the Brownlow Medal is in jeopardy. More than a generational player, Ablett ranks among the best of all time, and three Brownlow Medals would be fitting. Didn’t see the triple winners play — Skilton, Stewart, Bunton and Reynolds — but would love to see Ablett join that group.
2. St Kilda. In a world of pain and so is the skipper. Nick Riewoldt did exceptionally well not to lose his cool yesterday when teammate after teammate kept kicking the ball either short or over his head. It was ridiculous. As for the Saints, they kicked 2.1 to Carlton’s 14.5 after half-time, extending the losing streak to 10 games, which equals their 10-game losing streak in 1989. Streaks or not, the Saints were a pitiful bunch yesterday.
3. Josh J. Kennedy. Sloppy and will sit for a week. It was a physical game, and Kennedy tried to exert some influence. His problem is everyone’s problem, and that is he could’ve tackled, but instead went the bump, and collected Zak Jones in the head. Jones was subbed, Kennedy was sorry and the MRP will go bang.
4. Young and Cloke. Young had a brilliant first half, perhaps the best he’s played for Collingwood, but failed at the end. Snatched at the ball after he mistimed the delivery, prompting calls that it was a “Herschelle Gibbs” moment. Clearly devastated, it was nice to see his skipper, Scott Pendlebury, speak to him and offer comfort. Cloke missed crucial shots in the first half, none worse than shot at goal just before half-time. After the miss, the Suns found wings.
5. Melb. v Freo. Only saw a fraction of the game and what I saw was a defensive slog-fest. The Dockers Docker-ed the Demons, so much so that the Demons could only kick four goals, one of which came in the first half, before the three-goal surge in the second half. Yes, being a smart-arse. Sometime soon, though, Paul Roos has to get more offence from his team.
6. Dermott’s thinking. He said last night Brian Lake should be fined for his job on Drew Petrie. I disagree, but everyone has their opinion. You see, Derm is from a different era and he wasn’t opposed to a squeeze of the throat. If you get the chance, have a look at the ‘89 Grand Final. Derm is thrown into the fence, a scrap starts and Derm grabs (I think) Geelong’s David Cameron by the throat. Have a look at Cameron’s face. Make an assessment of how hard Dermott is squeezing.
7. Brisbane’s forward line. The Lions could’ve won this if they had a winning tall forward. They had 48 entries for 7.7 and Sauce Merrett couldn’t sniff it. So, what can they do? They will go tall in the draft but the kid is three years off performing consistently, so it mean surfing the state leagues for the best available talent or trading with another club. Seriously, can’t remember a team so bereft of key forwards.
8. Hawthorn’s back six. Not all of them, but four of them: Stratton, Birchall, Duryea and Litherland. Not all their fault because the defence needs a hardworking midfield, but the four of them couldn’t get their hands on the ball. Just two rebound 50s between them — Suckling had six himself — tells us the Hawks couldn’t get moving from half-back. Credit to the Kangas, who worked hard defensively, which in turn had the Hawks forwards sucked up the ground, which meant the Hawks often didn’t have a forward option when they won the ball.
9. Lachie Keeffe. Not sure about Keeffe as yet. Is strong at the ball, and bashes and crashes his way through contests, but can lose his opponent. Reckon he needs Nick Maxwell beside him, just to help with the coverage. Indeed, if there’s anyone still believing Maxwell isn’t crucial to the back six, you need you a crash course in football mechanics.
10. Waite’s future. Malthouse said he hasn’t forgotten him, but it’s difficult to see how he will get back into the team outside of injury. Commentator David King likes the idea of a mid-season draft, and can’t disagree. Do you like the idea of Waite at Geelong beside Hawkins for eight weeks, for example?
TOP TWEETS
@themalkproject: L: 10 teams, 8 spots, down to the wire! D: Umpiring Department has plenty of ‘splaining to do! Ruining our game!
@jkponly66: dislike, Disappearance of dropping the ball, holding the ball, incorrect disposal. Causes more congestion. Need more frees
@Chris_Duffin89: dislike: Dwayne Russell trying to make catsvdogs game closer than is- 2min left 19 ahead, DR ‘they’ve got a sniff
@saintsarmy: dislike. Too many Saints not deserving the right to wear the jumper.
@robbiefushu: like — Dons, GC. Dislike — almost breaking the TV when monfries not pinged for ball
@robdauth: Like: Pearce Hanley, might be the best Irishman to play the game by the end. Dislike: Ablett’s injury.
@LaurenceBradley: likes: Gold Coast. Dislikes: Ken Hinkley’s arrogance not picking a tall forward to help Schulz and Westhoff #dumbcoaching
@KrisMannix: like: money to burn in Supercoach with Gaz injury. Dislike: Gaz being injured
@TheBiggsOne: L: Heppell goal to seal win was Hird-like, special player D: Currently in mourning for holding the ball #dead
@DJose_89: dislike the amount of hate for ablett on social media when he went down. Nobody deserves that
@TheSongNerd: Like: North Melbourne. Dislike: North Melbourne.
@edithigniteroos: likes boomer & del santo sticking it right up Dermie. Dislike Lake’s brain snap in the 3rd quarter.
@MelPalling: L : @westernbulldogs not going away in 2nd half. D: I don’t know what constitutes dropping the ball anymore.
@daz_gun: Dislike-H Taylor just played his 150th and Moons didn’t even have the decency to give the post interview bum tap
@PeteC1969: like Big Levi Casbolt dislike output from Dale Thomas
@stickers 52: how can you not like Tom Rockliff? How can you not dislike that dropping & throwing the ball are now legal?!
@steiny71: like: Suns, tough, win. Rance, in AA form (only Tiger that is) dislike: holding ball/incorrect dish. A joke! #GoneAWOL
@Sportfanatic123: like Gold Coast roos and bombers dislike Brian lake dog act should be sacked
@CameronBSmith: people not knowing when to yell BALL anymore
@skyematt76: dislike collingwoods pea heart effort up at the Gold Coast no spirit! No killer instinct just lazy disinterested football
@FrankPiccolo: you gotta love the way @LeviGreenwood goes about his footy, taken his chance with both hands and really stepped up …
@ayle_williams: the fact lake continued after Petrie’s arms went limp is disgusting. no place in our game, MRP needs to be tough
@Nbrookes2: Like the fact we probably won’t have the top 8 and final positions in the 8 decided until last round.
@AWhenan: dislike: marketing department deciding that singing is what football needs. No wonder Port lost!
@Skabbatello: love MM had a 7 Min presser and said thanks at the end to the guys- dislike, goodbye holding the ball RIP
@HeidiP831: The Rhys Stanley hate. Ignored weekly for Roo who is triple teamed. When given opportunities he usually delivers
@VineyTom: like: Dustin Martin and Alex rance in a bleak year. Dislike: everything else Richmond in 2014
@TimCowelly89: like morabito’s return. Dislike Fyfe’s suspension. Charlie is up for grabs
@scrumpNmuttley: Likes. Gold coast pressure win without Gazza. Dislike Brian Lake treated like a murderer in media. He nearly lost an eye.
@balmemat: Like: Morabito’s successful comeback Dislike: Still yet to appear on #thetackle Is this week the week?
Originally published as Mark Robinson says Brian Lake deserves lengthy suspension for choker hold on North’s Drew Petrie
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