I am well-qualified to talk about the 12-week suspension for an ugly stray elbow in Melbourne's Southern Football Netball League.
That's not me blowing my own trumpet. I was there. You can see me in the vision in the right hand corner of the screen.
And after historically going softer in cases like this, the Southern league lawmakers have clearly made a stand.
Local footballer, Matthew Jameson, of the Doveton Doves was cited in Round 3 for intentionally striking an East Malvern teammate of mine, Finn McEvoy.
Jameson is in line to be de-registered from local football after accumulating over 16 weeks of suspensions, with his latest offence taking him to the not-so-magical number 17.
"From the league's point of view, it's just another example that intentionally assaulting people on the field will not be tolerated and players that transgress will continue to receive substantial penalties," Southern league boss Lee Hartman said.
View this post on Instagram
It's a firm stance.
Fortunately, no real damage was done and McEvoy didn't missed games due to the contact, but that should not have any bearing on the outcome handed down by the league.
The SFNL has previously shied away from lengthy bans of this nature.
In 2024, I was involved in a semi-final, do-or-die clash against Hampton Park, and as the final siren neared, blood boiled as pressure mounted.
The close finish was marred, and will be remembered by the massive melee between players after an East Malvern player was downed in the final term.
A pair of Hampton Park players were charged on three separate incidents. One totalling six weeks, including a four-week whack for failing to leave the surface when directed. The other was five weeks.
Another was found guilty for engaging in an over-the-fence exchange with a spectator, provoking further chaos. That received a five-week suspension.
It erupted and ultimately led to fans on the sidelines engaging in a fight.
But the stance from the league, at the time, wasn't strong enough.
Finally, they've laid down the law.
Doveton is still able to contest the 12-match ban.
But for an act, which if conducted off the football field and on the street would warrant police intervention, a three-month lay off may be light.
