Ken Hinkley clear on slings after favourable call from AFL tribunal
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has come to the defence of the AFL tribunal after two conterversial sling tackle rulings.
A day after Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge declared the sling tackle rule “a dog’s breakfast”, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley offered a defence of the AFL tribunal.
Hinkley, whose side will retain top spot should it defeat Sydney in Adelaide on Saturday, believes two key tribunal rulings this week have offered greater clarity on the contentious rule.
The Port Adelaide coach was among the beneficiaries of a perceived change in direction at the tribunal on Tuesday in relation to the punishment of sling tackles after some contentious rulings earlier in 2020.
Sam Powell-Pepper from the Power had a one-match ban overturned, which will allow him to play against the Swans, and so too Cat Luke Dahlhaus in rulings that confused Beveridge.
But the adjudication has never been clearer, according to Hinkley, who believes his side will blossom after a tight win over Hawthorn in Adelaide last week.
“It’s good that there’s some more clarity around it. It looks somewhat clear with what the results were this week,” Hinkley said.
“Players will be challenged every week to try and get it as close to right every time they can, (but) if not, we have a system in place that allows you to be charged and appeal that.
“You’ve got an opportunity to fight for your rights.”
The clarity, however, appears to be solely in the eyes of the coach able to field a player.
Beveridge’s bemusement stemmed from Hayden Crozier’s suspension in round five, while Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin expressed confusion not long after Hinkley said all was clear on Friday.
Goodwin said Demon Alex Neal-Bullen, who was banned for four weeks for a tackle on Adelaide’s Will Hamill, had reason to consider himself harshly done by.
“I think you can clearly see there’s a pretty significant shift between a four-week suspension and getting off,” Goodwin said. “It’s quite close and the action can be similar, but the outcome can be slightly different and there’s no doubt there’s a pretty big gap between what the penalty looks like.
“For Alex’s situation, four weeks is a pretty hefty price to pay and obviously you’re seeing some guys at the moment who are challenging and getting off.”
Beveridge was critical of punishments being handed out based on the impact of a tackle rather than the intent of the person laying the tackle.
A series of former players including Brisbane great Jonathan Brown were bemused by the penalty handed to Neal-Bullen after Melbourne’s round 10 win over Adelaide.
“I think he was a sacrificial lamb. I think four weeks was too much,” Brown said on Fox Sports.
“It is the equivalent of six in a normal season and that is a big suspension for an act that happened in play.”
While Hinkley is hoping to further Port Adelaide’s claims to earning a home qualifying final, Goodwin’s Demons play St Kilda in Alice Springs in a crucial clash for both sides.
Depending on the result of Friday’s match between Geelong and the Bulldogs, Melbourne could return to the eight if it topples the Saints.
The sixth-placed St Kilda can keep alive hopes of a top-four finish if it can claim its ninth victory from 14 games.
“I haven’t done the maths on it exactly, but from what I can gather, nine or 10 wins will get you in,” Goodwin said.
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