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‘Disgraceful’ jumper punch call, Joel Selwood’s ‘legendary’ recovery

THE AFL has been slammed for a “horrible” call after a savage jumper punch brawl was met with a surprising reaction.

Alex BlairAlex Blair
@alexblair_1
4 min read
June 2, 2017 - 10:59PM
Tom Hawkins didn't get the jumper punch memo it seems.
Tom Hawkins didn't get the jumper punch memo it seems.

JUMPER punches have been the talk of the town this fortnight in the AFL after a number of heated incidents in the league forced officials to debate on a new ruling.

AFL football operations boss Simon Lethlean said it was imperative officials acted quickly to increase the punishment for players losing their temper and punching opposition players while grabbing their shirt.

“I think a change is required. Clearly the deterrent of fines is not stopping on-field punching in various forms and we want to stamp that out,” he told SEN radio last week.

“It’s unusual (to make rule changes mid-season), but we’re going to. We don’t want punching to continue. We’re unequivocal about that and we’ll make that really clear to the players and clubs.”

With all the noise around the issue, one would think stars were going to be extra careful to keep their fists to themselves in the following round of footy. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

Geelong star Tom Hawkins sent Eagles midfielder Matt Crouch to the deck with a punch to the jaw after a brief wrestle late in the second term.

“Based on the noise in the last few weeks he’s in a spot of trouble,” former Eagles star Chris Judd said on Triple M radio as the incident unfolded.

No free kick was awarded and play continued as usual, much to the grief of AFL fans around the country.

That wasn’t the only controversy of the night, though. Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker turned heads in the third quarter after he left the field directly after booting a goal.

At that point the Crows were well behind the rampaging Cats and needed a leader, but Walker exited the field with three minutes to go in the quarter, much to the surprise of the commentators.

“That’s somewhat surprising, given (he’s) the captain of the club,” Brian Taylor said.

“That’s where I’d be looking at the runner and saying ‘hoo roo, you go back to the boundary’,” Cameron Ling replied.

“As captain of the footy team you could see he was disappointed with coming off.”

‘LEGENDARY’ SELWOOD SHAKES OFF SICKENING GASH

‘Tis but a scratch.
‘Tis but a scratch.

Next time someone tells you AFL players are soft, show them this.

Geelong star Joel Selwood proved to Aussie Rules doubters around Australia what he was made of after copping a sickening blow to the head in the first quarter of the Cats’ clash against Adelaide.

The 29-year-old was bleeding from two spots on his head and looked to be out for the rest of the match — but that’s not what he had in mind.

Selwood returned to the field, amazing fans around the country with his “legendary” effort.

Chris Judd was full of praise for the hardy star, doubting if there’s a tougher player on the circuit.

“His courage is legendary. (He) puts his head in places where seemingly no other thing can happen except for him to get a sizeable knock,” he said on Triple M radio.

“Certainly that contest in the first quarter where he did get cleaned up and opened up, that nasty gash, was brave bordering on stupid.”

Selwood finished with a mammoth 35 disposals and seven mark to complete the victory over the top-placed Crows.

Geelong pulled home a 22-point win over AFL ladder leaders Adelaide on Friday in a dominant display.

With former Crow Patrick Dangerfield and skipper Joel Selwood leading the way yet again, the Cats won 13.18 (96) to 10.14 (74).

They sit level on points with fellow pacesetters Adelaide and GWS, although the Giants will go a game clear atop the table on Saturday if they beat Essendon at home.

The Crows’ sorry record at Simonds Stadium reads just three victories from 20 matches - and none at the venue since way back in 2003.

Their two previous defeats this season were by big margins, having previously lost to North Melbourne by 59 points and to Melbourne by 41. This encounter also looked like being a blowout, although the Crows managed the last three goals of the game to at least add some respectability to the scoreboard.

Dangerfield kicked the opening goal in the first two quarters. With the other half of the famed Danger-wood combination also hugely influential, the Cats led by nine points at quarter-time and 29 at the long break.

But the major talking point of the second quarter was the left-handed jumper punch which Hawkins landed on the jaw of Matt Crouch.

With the AFL hierarchy flagging its intention to crack down on jumper punches after Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin was deemed very lucky to escape without a ban for his strike on Docker Lachie Neale three weeks ago, Hawkins faces an anxious wait to see how the match review panel will grade the incident. The best-case scenario for the Cats’ spearhead is a fine, although he could cop a one-week suspension.

Hawkins kicked two goals in his 200th game.

The home team pushed their lead out to 47 points midway through the third quarter, before late goals to captain Taylor Walker and Eddie Betts trimmed the gap to 34 at three-quarter time.

While Geelong again had great returns from their biggest names, the same could not be said for the Crows.

Two of Walker’s three goals came in junk time, Betts struggled to impose himself on the contest and prime mover Rory Sloane was blanketed by Scott Selwood and Mark Blicavs.

Geelong’s recent return to their redeveloped stadium could hardly have gone better, with back-to-back-to-back wins over the Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and the Crows ahead of their bye week.

— with AAP

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/disgraceful-jumper-punch-call-joel-selwoods-legendary-recovery/news-story/e54d0b203a796d4fffd1ce03bfd7bd98