Patrick Dangerfield concerned players are milking sliding rule

AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield has urged players to stop milking the sliding rule for free kicks as he questioned the league’s new fines system.

Gary Rohan suffered a serious leg injury after Lindsay Thomas slid for the ball. Picture: Channel 7

AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield has urged players to stop milking the sliding rule for free kicks as he questioned the league’s new fines system.

Dangerfield will play in Saturday’s Adelaide Oval clash against Port Adelaide despite a corked calf that hampered him in the win over St Kilda.

The Cats star was heavily limping with an ice pack of his lower leg as he ended the match on the bench but trained fully this week and is no doubt.

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The new AFLPA president is more concerned about rule changes that dilute the rugged contact-based game he loves.

Several players have milked the sliding rule this year — the rule was brought in to stop injuries after Lindsay Thomas broke Gary Rohan’s leg with a low, sliding approach to the ball.

Instead of going in low for the ball some players deliberately topple over a player who in some cases is reaching for the ball rather than sliding.

“Sliding to the knees is the perfect one, we have had a few instances of that a few years ago and all of a sudden we change a rule,” Dangerfield said.

“Now I think there are players who exploit it and fall to ground easily and the player who is putting their head over the ball and hunting the ball is disadvantaged.

“It is something we need to continue to work on.”

Lachie Hunter has his legs taken out during a game last season. Picture: Michael Klein

Dangerfield says the AFL must continue to protect the head but believes the fines levied on AFL players are out of control.

If a player accepts guilty pleas on three incidents in a year that draw fines, he will have paid a total of $10,00 through a $2000, $3000 and $5000 fine.

“It is a huge whack to pay fines, some of them are 10 grand at the moment. There is a real balance we need to find with regard to player fines,’’ he said.

“Jimmy Bartel brought this up around football acts. I don’t think players should be fined for football acts. If it’s a bump in the rules of the contest, because the AFL doesn't’ want to suspend players and they revert to fines ahead and thinks that will deter them.

“I don’t think we have got it quite right, especially with some acts where you say, “This is a contested game”, and there are instances that happen that you can’t control.”

Dangerfield told 5AA he was a certainty to take his place in the side.

“I will be playing. I might just be getting old. I copped a good knock last week and given the state of the match there was no real need to push it too hard.

“Rest up, ice it up and I trained fully (on Thursday) so it’s all right to go.”

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Originally published as Patrick Dangerfield concerned players are milking sliding rule