Match Review Panel member Jimmy Bartel says AFL must change rules to enforce crackdown on punching

FRUSTRATED MRP member Jimmy Bartel has indicated players will not get benefit of the doubt when the panel determines the severity of cases.

Sydney's Zak Jones and Hawthorn's Jarryd Roughead fight for the ball during the indigenous round AFL match Sydney Swans v Hawthorn at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

FRUSTRATED AFL match review panel member Jimmy Bartel has indicated players will no longer get the benefit of the doubt when the panel determines the severity of cases.

The MRP will today consider Sydney hard nut Zak Jones’s strike on Hawthorn forward Luke Breust, the first incident to come before panel since the AFL last week warned clubs of a crackdown on punching.

AFL football operations manager Simon Lethlean last week put players on notice, but stopped short of changing MRP guidelines.

Ben Cunnington punched Melbourne tagger Bernie Vince in the guts. Picture: AAP

But panellist Bartel admits decisions could be open to challenge unless the league changes the “parameters” for suspending players.

“If you don’t change the parameters I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do,” Bartel told RSN 927.

“To get it up to weeks well then you’ve got to manufacture something on the table.

“We might have to, it’s almost opening up a case, and this is hypothetically, where we’ve got to escalate it there which makes it really open to challenge.”

A series of nasty incidents in the fiery clash between North Melbourne and Melbourne prompted the new stance on punching, a week after Richmond captain Trent Cotchin sensationally escaped penalty for striking Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale.

Under current MRP guidelines — as they are written — Jones would attract a low impact grading and $1000 fine for striking Breust.

While careful not to speak directly on Jones’ matter, Bartel suggested the panel must shift its thinking when making decisions.

“I think previously people would have liked the MRP ... to be in favour of the players but clearly they don’t want it to be,” Bartel said.