Alastair Clarkson lashes AFL in wake of Paul Curtis’ suspension, calls for immediate change to the rules

After North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis was suspended for a tackle, the AFL football boss flagged potential changes to the rule and Alastair Clarkson wants it done now.

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has questioned the AFL’s leadership over the Paul Curtis suspension declaring any flagged changes by head office should be made “right now”.

Curtis was banned for three weeks for his rundown tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn last weekend.

North Melbourne challenged the sanction but it was upheld as Sinn was concussed from his head making contact with the ground.

Clarkson voiced his disappointment after the Roos suffered a narrow loss to Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night.

“In my view he’s nearly the best tackler in the competition, just so strong, it’s a shame that that part of our game is being questioned, it’s a feature of our game,” Clarkson said.

“We understand there’s a duty of care (to the player) but there’s a duty of care to the game.

Paul Curtis was given a three-week ban for this tackle. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“If the player hasn’t got any intent other than to try and lay the tackle, we can understand the slings but this is not a sling, it’s a football action.

“We’re disappointed with that outcome and particularly the severity of that outcome; football action, he gets three weeks, someone swings an arm off the ball incident gets less – it doesn’t make sense.”

Clarkson fended off questions at his weekly press conference on Wednesday after general manager Todd Viney addressed the Curtis ban.

But on Thursday night he was willing to detail his frustration and question why the ruling couldn’t be adjusted during the season after AFL football boss Laura Kane said a “sliding scale” for penalties could be looked at from next year.

“It also doesn’t make sense that the AFL come out and say ‘oh we might change that at the end of the year’, doesn’t help us, we’re really disappointed with that,” he said.

“Really strong leadership would say ‘we understand it’s wrong and we’ll change it right now’.

“He shouldn’t be missing three weeks of footy.”

Alastair Clarkson is frustrated that the AFL isn’t doing something now. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

North Melbourne will have another of its best 22 on the sidelines after defender Jackson Archer sustained a hamstring injury against the Bombers.

Archer will have scans on his hamstring in coming days but Clarkson expects him to be sidelined for an extended period.

“He’s a tough bugger too and he was limping pretty badly, so I dare say it’s not a slight strain, he’ll miss some weeks I’m sure,” Clarkson said.