Geelong veteran Mark Blicavs says he's been forced to adjust his tackling technique as the AFL continues to tighten rules around dangerous contact.
His comments come after North Melbourne's Paul Curtis was handed a three-week suspension after a tackle that was once nothing more than a free kick has now been deemed a suspendable offence.
Speaking after training on Tuesday, Blicavs acknowledged the growing responsibility on players to adjust their technique in response to the league's push to reduce concussion risks.
"I've probably adjusted to it a little bit.... for me personally I try to tackle them and hold them standing up. If I grab an arm its not to dump, its more to just grab up, stand and try to slap the ball away from their hands," Blicavs said.
"Players need to continue to figure out the technique that works for them best."
"For me personally, I've made the decision that if I don't need to take a player to ground and can just hold it in and we can have another stoppage, then I'll do that.
"If I feel like my momentum is taking him, then I'll try and land turning them so it's not a push in the back, it's not a sling tackle.
"You talk about Curtis, he's a power athlete, Danger's a power athlete, Jason Horne-Francis, these guys tackle and hit packs with unbelievable power and speed, and it is sometimes hard to control for sure."
The AFL's crackdown on dangerous tackles is part of a wider effort to reduce concussion-related injuries, which has seen an increase in suspensions for high-impact tackles over the past few seasons.
The AFL tribunal panel in the Curtis case have called for players to be "prudent" when executing their tackles to ensure the safety of their opposition.
