‘We’d love clarification’: AFL stars ask to be informed on tackling rules

The two opposing Anzac Day game captains agree a transformation of the game is underway early this season.

Essendon captain Zach Merrett and Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams will both miss out on the Anzac Day match due to one-week suspensions for rough conduct. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

The two opposing Anzac Day captains have called for players to be educated on how to avoid bans for rough tackles, as both sides enter the big game missing star midfielders.

Acting Essendon skipper Andrew McGrath says Zach Merrett will be “sorely missed” by the Bombers after his one-match suspension for a rough tackle on Melbourne’s Tom Sparrow was upheld at the tribunal on Tuesday night.

He said his teammates were seeking further clarity on what actions would get them into trouble with the MRO, while speaking alongside him ahead of the Anzac Day clash, rival captain Darcy Moore said he thought the game was “caught” in a transitional phase.

The Collingwood skipper said clarifying details on legal and illegal tackles was “certainly a conversation worth having”, but said the tribunal was already sending a strong message by upholding the suspensions of Merrett and Magpies midfielder Taylor Adams.

Essendon vice-captain Andrew McGrath and Collingwood captain Darcy Moore fronted the cameras on Wednesday ahead of the annual Anzac Day clash. Picture: Robert Cianflone / Getty Images

“I think from an industry point of view, the tribunal is an effective way for the AFL to communicate what is a priority and what isn’t okay,” Moore said.

“You can say it’s effective in that regard because you know, their players are watching and see the result … you sort of have no choice but to change your behaviour to some respect, whether we go as far as training (differently) I’m not so sure, but I think these changes happen over time as well.”

Moore said other football actions that may have been normal five years ago had been phased out of the game successfully, and it was likely the AFL was going through another transformation this season.

“You look back on footage of the game from five years ago, and there are things that happen that are far less common now than then back then,” he said.

McGrath says teammate Zach Merrett was ‘realistic’ about the likelihood he would escape suspension and feature in the blockbuster game. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

“So I think maybe we’re caught in one of those periods where, you know, sling tackle is slowly being phased out of the game.”

McGrath said Merrett was “realistic” on his chances of getting out of the ban ahead of Anzac Day, and was maintaining a positive outlook around the group as they prepared for another huge test of their revitalised system under coach Brad Scott.

“He’s a class act, Zach … he was awesome today, you wouldn’t know that he was extremely disappointed last night,” McGrath said.

“I think for all the players, we’d love clarification – I think we play a game that’s so random and chaotic at times, and when you’re not exactly sure what’s allowed and what’s not allowed, there’s been a lot of cases in the last few weeks of players getting done for similar incidents.

“So it’d be great to get a little bit of clarification … we’re sort of figuring out what’s fair, what’s not fair.”

Originally published as ‘We’d love clarification’: AFL stars ask to be informed on tackling rules