Luke Beveridge says intent should be used in penalising dangerous tackles

The Western Bulldogs didn’t show players the AFL tackling guide video and coach Luke Beveridge has revealed why.

Tackling remains a contentious issue in the AFL. Picture: Michael Klein

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says players should be given a “concession” when it comes to tackles deemed dangerous if there was no intent to hurt amid an AFL crackdown that has created league-wide confusion.

Beveridge also defended his club‘s decision not to show vision sent from the AFL, which included a tackle from Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli as one of 12 examples of how tackles can be executed without putting the opposition in dangerous positions.

Tackling remains the most contentious issue in the AFL after Hawthorn captain James Sicily was banned for three games for a tackle that concussed Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage on the same night St Kilda’s Dan Butler successfully fought his dangerous contract charge.

The Hawks are appealing and Beveridge confirmed his club was one of many that didn’t show the vision sent from the league to clubs because it only muddied the waters further.

Marcus Bontempelli tackles Rory Atkins. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Beveridge on Thursday said player intent needed to be considered when it came to suspensions for tackles but conceded “that can’t happen” the way the rules were structured.

“I feel like the intent of the player needs to be considered and the word accident is being used this week and I line up with that,” the premiership coach said.

“We’ve got to make sure we cater for the fact accidents will happen and if players have no real desire or intent to hurt another player in a football act, then absolutely they should get a concession I believe and currently the way it’s geared is that can’t actually happen. There would need to be a significant change.

“There is a fair bit of luck involved in a 360-degree collision game that you are going to get through the year without a player or two falling victim to being involved in something that is unavoidable.”

"We're at a point now where you can't 'finish' that tackle."@Adamcooney17 on Dan Butler's one-game suspension for a dangerous tackle. #ArmchairExpertspic.twitter.com/ZrmlVaXpq7

— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 9, 2023

Beveridge said the video sent from the AFL didn’t marry with what actually happened with the variety of different situations players faced in games and he didn’t want to alter his instructions.

“I can’t tell the players to go out and avoid accidents,” he said.

“The main thing with our players is there’s a discipline in what we do. Our players don’t go out to hurt anyone. When they tackle, they tackle within the rules.

“But you know occasionally if there’s player momentum, or the size of a player, a player is bigger than the player they tackle or if there’s more momentum from a certain direction, sometimes it’s just difficult because you can’t control that.

“We just chose not to show the vision.”