Eric Hipwood ‘deserves to get chinned’ for taunt: AFL great Jason Dunstall

The Gabbatoir had its latest victim but AFL legend Jason Dunstall was not pleased about the way one Lions star went about his business.

Hipwood clapped right in Balta's face. Photo: Fox Sports

The Brisbane Lions flexed their considerable Gabba muscle with an 81-point demolition of a woeful Richmond on Thursday night.

The Lions’ push for a top-two berth gathered considerable steam with a 20.14 (134) to 7.11 (53) win.

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It extended Brisbane’s Gabba record to seven from seven this season, with the Lions having now won 44 of their past 48 regular season matches at the “Gabbatoir”.

But AFL legend Jason Dunstall was not thrilled by Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood, who he called out for taunting.

Dunstall took aim after Hipwood got in the face of Tigers defender Noah Balta after Joe Daniher took a mark on the Richmond star in the second quarter.

Speaking on Fox Footy after the match, Dunstall said it was an act a player would “deserve to get chinned for”.

“There is something that has become very prevalent in our game that I don’t like,” he said.

“Now the NFL they have a taunting rule. So if you stand over a player after the play or get in their face and carry on like a tool you cop a penalty straight away and can get ejected.

“We need to stop taunting in the AFL.”

Hipwood clapped right in Balta's face. Photo: Fox Sports

Hipwood celebrates a goal. Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Dunstall said he was not singling Hipwood out but said it was prevalent throughout the sport.

“Because every player is doing this,” he said.

“Instead of celebrating his teammate taking a good mark keep your eye on Eric Hipwood. He is going to go to Noah Balta the opponent.”

After Daniher made the grab, Hipwood sarcastically clapped at Balta, who pushed his rival.

“Look at that, is that not getting in your private space?” Dunstall said.

“Why on earth do we have to put up with c**p like that?

“I just want the players to be better, go and celebrate the positive. Pat your teammate Joe Daniher on the back for taking a good mark.

“Don’t do that, you deserve to get chinned for that and we don’t want to see that coming into the game.

“The rule-makers have to intervene.”

While Dunstall got his nose out of joint about the cocky display from Hipwood, it was mostly one-way traffic throughout the match as the Lions flexed their muscles.

The Lions shared the spoils, with 10 different players kicking goals.

The mercurial Joe Daniher led the way with five goals to take his season tally to 39.

Fellow forward Lincoln McCarthy kicked three, while Lachie Neale booted two in a star display that included 34 disposals.

The Lions get around Lincoln McCarthy after his goal. Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

For the Tigers, it was a brutal reality check after they had won three straight and three from four under interim coach Andrew McQualter following last month’s departure of premiership-winning mentor Damien Hardwick.

Having been widely praised for turning their season around, it was a reality check for Richmond, who were never really in the game.

Leading by 21 points at quarter-time, the Lions extended their advantage to eight goals by the main break.

And it probably should have been a bigger lead, with the Lions outclassing the woeful Tigers in every aspect of the game.

“They can’t win it, they can’t move it, they can’t stop it,” Fox Footy’s David King said in a damning assessment of Richmond’s first-half display.

The Tigers may have had injury worries, with Dustin Martin failing to make the trip through illness, while Jayden Short suffered a hamstring injury and Noah Cumberland also hurt his ankle in what was a disastrous first-half for the Tigers.

However, regardless of their injury problems, the Tigers – who had won three successive matches before having a bye last weekend – were extremely disappointing in what was a crucial game in their hopes of breaking into the top eight.

It’s a bye that AFL teams continue to dread, with clubs playing after a weekend off this season having a 0-9 record against opponents who played the week before.

With NCA Newswire

Originally published as Eric Hipwood ‘deserves to get chinned’ for taunt: AFL great Jason Dunstall