AFL accepts 'please explains' to Drew Petrie and James Kelly

THE AFL has baulked at punishing the three players who tweeted their anger at the tribunal system after Jack Ziebell was whacked with a four-match suspension.

Jack Ziebell

THE AFL has baulked at punishing the three players who tweeted their anger at the tribunal system after Jack Ziebell was whacked with a four-match suspension.

Ziebell's North Melbourne teammates Drew Petrie and Majak Daw along with Geelong's James Kelly were sent please explain letters but the AFL today revealed it was satisfied with their responses.

"Lost enough sleep already tonight over that decision. Got a sore neck from shaking my head so much. Time for bed," Petrie tweeted shortly after the AFL Tribunal came to its verdict.

"Advice for @jackziebell. Stop being so courageous and playing footy hard the way it's meant to be played. Please turn into a softy!"

Kelly tweeted: "I was going to tweet how Ziebell getting four weeks was a mare of a decision but decided not to so I don't get in trouble #smartkell … smart"

Daw, a rookie, backed his teammate by tweeting: “Can’t not comprehend the match reviews (sic) decision over @jackziebell. 4 weeks!! Come on that’s capital punishment".

The young ruckman deleted the comment just minutes later.

The AFL ironically broke the news it would not dish out sanctions on Twitter, with spokesman Patrick Keane tweeting: "The AFL accepted each player's submission their comments were not unfair, unreasonable or excessive.

"Matter now closed in all cases."

Carlton last month fined Brock McLean $5000 after he lashed out at a fan on Twitter with an inappropriate response while fellow Blues Marc Murphy, Jarrad Waite and Jeremy Laidler were fined $2500 each for criticising umpires on twitter.