Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has defended Brodie Grundy's tackle on Ben Brown last night, which left the Roos forward concussed.
Grundy, who is set to feel the heat from the Match Review Panel for his dangerous tackle, had Brown's arms pinned as the Kangaroo's head cannoned into the turf.
Brown was concussed and had to be stretchered off the ground, before being taken to hospital.
Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield was suspended for one match for a similar incident last week, however, Pies coach Nathan Buckley labelled it "a pretty goo tackle" from Grundy.
โI donโt think there was any malice in the tackle,โ Buckley said.
โHe was tackling to dispossess, tackling to get the free kick the way the rules were written, so what more do you do?
Ben Brown is being taken off on the stretcher following this tackle from Brodie Grundy. #AFLNorthPies pic.twitter.com/rLs7khDITw
— AFL (@AFL) August 5, 2017
โThereโs a massive grey area there and weโre all swimming in it at the moment. We saw three or four dangerous tackles tonight. A couple were paid free kicks and a couple were paid holding the ball.
โIt was a pretty good tackle rewarded with a holding the ball and clearly when youโre tackling someone from behind with momentum ... itโs pretty hard to put yourself in reverse.โ
Buckley also suggested more education is necessary on the parameters around tackling.
โWe understand the lay of the land and the way precedence has gone and Dangerfieldโs a clear example of that but I donโt know how closely related Brodieโs tackle is to that,โ Buckley said.
โI agree with protecting the heads of players.
โBut I think itโs really important to give ... the players a really clear (idea) of what is and isnโt acceptable."
Given Dangerfield's one week ban for his tackle on Matthew Kreuzer, Gundy is likely to also receive a suspension from the MRP.
