Caroline Wilson shuts down talk of the AFL introducing a sin bin

A veteran AFL journalist has shut down a former skipper’s suggestion regarding a major change the league must implement.

Adelaide's Shane McAdam late hit on Giants Jacob Wehr during the Round 1 AFL match between the GWS Giants and the Adelaide Crows at Giants Stadium on March 19, 2023. Photo by Phil Hillyard.

Calls for the AFL to introduce a sin bin have been reignited following a brutal start to the 2023 season.

Three players were sighted over hip and shoulder hits that left plenty of fans and former players calling for lengthy bans.

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Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett was handed a two-game ban, Sydney’s Lance Franklin was handed a one-game ban while Adelaide’s Shane McAdam was sent directly to the AFL Tribunal.

Former Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury weighed in over the ugly hits on Monday and said he’d back the league introducing a send-off system similar to the NRL.

“Watching the NRL and the stuff like that that happens, they get sin-binned and I don’t mind that for our players,” he said on Triple M.

“If Pickett was to get sin-binned, it’s a complete disadvantage and now you play 17 versus 18 for 10 minutes, then it’s 15 minutes and you go to whatever.

“Those non-football actions I think we really need to treat seriously and get that out of our game.”

Kysaiah Pickett, Shane McAdam and Lance Franklin are all facing MRO scrutiny.

Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson responded to Pendlebury’s comments and said while she welcomed the debate topic, it wasn’t the way forward.

“It is constructive debate but it is not the answer. It would just create a bureaucratic thicket for the AFL in terms of on field mistakes,” Wilson said on Nine News.

“We do not want to slow down again. Players need to be more responsible quite frankly. It is up to the coaches as well.

“And the AFL need to be more responsible as well coming down hard on players who break the rules. I think they were pretty soft on Lance Franklin and Kysaiah Pickett was lucky to only get two weeks.”

Dogs star Jack Macrae took issue with Pickett for the bump. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Mark Robinson teed off on the players over the ugly incidents from the weekend and called on the league to enforce a hardline stance.

“They’re cheapshots Gerard. Kids watching at home, don’t do that. Footy’s a hard game, footy’s a tough game to play,” Robinson said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“Jumping off the ground and hitting people who can’t protect themselves, it’s a bit cowardly.

“Franklin has been doing that for 15 years and I’m glad he’s got a week. Everyone saying it’s unfortunate Buddy might miss, what about it’s unfortunate that Sam Collins had to leave the field and get a concussion test. It’s never unfortunately for the people that Franklin hits.

“I’m glad that Michael Christian has upgraded them and I’m glad that there’s so much discussion about them.

“Send the message from the top through all the leagues, that is unacceptable and we’re not putting up with it anymore.

'Send the message from the top through all the leagues, that is unacceptable' - Robbo wants the AFL to make a statement after the strong bumps over the weekend.

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Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps was asked for his thoughts on the hits delivered by the players over the weekend that resulted in the bans.

“You always wants to look after the player, you never want to see players hurt and I can guarantee when you guys played you never wanted to see somebody injured,” Cripps said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“It’s a tricky one, you want guys going hard for the ball but there’s also a duty of care when you choose to bump.”

After being hit with a class action lawsuit, the AFL finds itself in unfamiliar territory as past players come forward with horror tales of declining health due to concussions.

Cripps believes the league is doing

“I think the AFL is doing a lot of good stuff around trying to protect the player and the research and all that.

“It’s the unknown isn’t it. There’s a lot of research that’s gone back in the day, but it’s still unknown the whole thing and I think they’re putting measures in place to try and protect the players’ wellbeing.

“So I think the AFL is doing all they can but it’s still unknown but club doctors and the AFL are doing their part to try and help players as much as they can with it.”