The Nic Naitanui Rule: size now matters when it comes to tackling

Nic Naitanui’s suspension suggests some players will have to temper their tackling because of their size.

West Coast Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui after his AFL tribunal appearance. Picture: Nic Ellis

Nic Naitanui’s controversial suspension on Wednesday night has raised an issue the AFL community is struggling to comprehend: when it comes to tackling, size really does matter.

But even those who agree with the one-week suspension handed to the star Eagles ruckman for rough conduct, such as AFL legend Malcolm Blight, find the proposition Naitanui should temper his tackling because of his size ludicrous.

“Have they been living under a rock? It should have been laughed out of court,” Blight said.

While Naitanui is disappointed to miss tomorrow’s game against GWS Giants at Spotless Stadium, he at least managed a smiley-face emoji on a social media post wishing his replacement Fraser McInnes well. But no one else at West Coast is laughing, nor the majority of his peers and former players who are confused and angered by a decision that threatens to change the game.

Naitanui’s ban prompted Eagles coach Adam Simpson to launch a stinging attack on match review officer Michael Christian, describing his initial citation of the tackle as “a bit sloppy”. And there was plenty of support for Simpson as the competition comes to grip with a future where players must consider their height and weight when they tackle an opponent.

To some extent, this already occurs in relation to bumping.

Taller players are well aware their vertical advantage puts them at risk of suspension if they are unable to crouch low enough to avoid making contact with a shorter rival’s head.

But Simpson is incredulous Naitanui must now compute within a fraction of a second who he is tackling and how vigorously he should approach the contest.

“I have got an 11-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter who play footy and we want to try to protect them as much as we can, but the question I have to ask myself and talk to Nic about is, what do we do going forward?” Simpson said.

“I don’t think anyone wants him to change how he attacks the footy and maybe it is just a Nic rule because he is so powerful. Just don’t be so powerful, strong and aggressive in the act of play?”

Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw is among those who agree with this, describing it as a sad day for the AFL.

Kangaroos captain Jack Ziebell said “for Naitanui to get a week for that is just unfathomable”.

Blight, however, believes Naitanui verged on delivering a spear tackle on Port Adelaide’s Karl Amon and feared that if a statement was not made, “it’s just heading for a disaster”.

Retired St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt pondered how Naitanui could be suspended when Brownlow Medal fancy Tom Mitchell received only a fine for elbowing Kangaroo Todd Goldstein behind play, a point Simpson also touched on.

“At the moment, I am seeing issues off the ball not related to football, elbows to the head, hip-and-shoulders off the ball, they are OK, they might get a fine, so I am a little bit confused,” Simpson said.

The suspension is not the only aspect of the Naitanui suspension that angered the Eagles.

Simpson is concerned about the comments Christian made before the AFL Tribunal hearing.

“To follow up from that and go on every radio station and suggest it was the easiest decision he has ever made,” he said.

“I would have thought we could make (those comments) after the tribunal, not before, so the natural justice with everything was a bit flawed there.”