Crows captain Taylor Walker’s ban for ‘perfect’ tackle sets up AFL tribunal challenge to deal with umpire and player confusion
UMPIRE and player confusion over Adelaide captain Taylor Walker’s ban for ‘perfect’ tackle could form the basis of an AFL tribunal appeal. And save the skipper from an early preseason.
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CROWS captain Taylor Walker on Tuesday could put a wedge on the AFL by using the confusion between umpires as a bold defence against a two-week ban from the league’s match review officer.
And the appeal to the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night might be needed as Walker’s team-mates line up to defend his so-called “sling” tackle that concussed Greater Western Sydney midfielder Josh Kelly in Canberra on Saturday night.
Walker was first rewarded by field umpire Shane McInerney with a holding-the-ball call against Kelly after making, according to Walker’s team-mates, the “perfect tackle”.
This free kick was reversed by umpire Ray Chamberlain, who viewed Walker’s action from the reverse angle and judged it to be a “sling” tackle.
Such contrasting views of the same tackle open the path to a groundbreaking tribunal hearing.
Crows’ midfielders Brad Crouch, Paul Seedsman and Riley Knight – all on the sidelines watching the game that ended Adelaide’s campaign to return to September action – have declared Walker has no case to answer.
Crouch hit on the umpire confusion, saying: “Obviously terrible that Kelly got hurt, but to the naked eye it was a great tackle. He got given holding the ball.”
Seedsman said: “Don’t think there’s much wrong with that (tackle). First time I’ve seen a free kick change due to a bloke hurt.”
Knight said: “Nothing malicious by ‘Tex’ there. Lets (Kelly) go before he hits the ground, just an unlucky period of play.”
Obviously terrible that Kelly got hurt but to the naked eye it was a great tackle. He got given holding the ball
— Brad Crouch (@brad_crouch) August 11, 2018
Don’t think there’s much wrong with that. First time I’ve seen a free kick change due to a bloke hurt. Geeeee
— Paul Seedsman (@paulseed40) August 11, 2018
Nothing malicious by tex there, let’s him go before he hits the ground, just an unlucky period of play #AFLGIANTSCrows
— riley.knight (@RileytKnight) August 11, 2018
But AFL match review officer Michael Christian did take issue with the tackle.
Christian charged Walker with rough conduct – and ruled the key forward made “careless contact with high impact to (Kelly’s) head” in the third term.
Kelly did not complete the match, failing the concussion test as the Giants were reduced to 19 men before sealing a 14-point win.
Christian dismissed the “perfect” tackle label on Walker’s actions.
“The guidelines are really specific on if you rotate, sling or drive an opponent into the ground with excessive force,” Christian said.
“In this particular case, I believe there was a rotation and elements of a sling and certainly there was a lifting motion as well.”
Christian’s verdict – if not challenged by the Crowsday – puts Walker out of Adelaide’s last two home-and-away clashes with North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Sunday and against last-ranked Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday week.
Adelaide’s coaching staff on Monday acknowledged the conflict between what once stood as a “perfect” tackle and the new “duty of care” responsibilities on players amid increased concern over con-cussion.
Before Christian’s call, Adelaide ruck coach Matthew Clarke accepted there was a “duty of care” that compelled players to note their responsibility when tackling.
“Watching it live, I did not sense it was an act of frustration (from Walker); it was just (Walker) trying to tackle him hard,” Clarke said.
“The players have accepted there is a duty of care. Some (tackles) are really challenging; they are really tough. It is a split-second game - and players are different body shapes and sizes. They are coming into fierce contact.
“There are going to be accidents in the game of footy. You have to play right up the line, but accept that ultimately if a player is hurt then there is a duty of care and responsibility.”
Clarke said Adelaide would not offer early starts or farewell games on Sunday as it honours its fans at their last home game for the season - and its 1998 AFL premiership heroes - with a winning theme at selection.
The 12th-ranked Crows are ruling out an experimental line-up for the clash with North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval to demand a strong finish to Season 2018 rather than an early start on 2019.
“We have to finish the season as strongly as we possibly can,” Crows ruck coach Matthew Clarke said at West Lakes on Monday. “We have to pick the team we think can beat North Melbourne.
“You get yourself into a little bit of trouble if you start tampering with that too much.
“That will be the No. 1 priority - finish out the season with real strength. It is our last home game in front of our members who have had a lot of joy last year - and not as much this year. So they deserve a performance that can give them a bit of pride for the year.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
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Originally published as Crows captain Taylor Walker’s ban for ‘perfect’ tackle sets up AFL tribunal challenge to deal with umpire and player confusion