Former AFL umpire Dean Margetts says he disagrees with Paul Curtis’ three-match dangerous tackle suspension, stating the primary issue lies with the Tribunal grading matrix.
The North Melbourne forward failed to overturn his three-game ban on Tuesday night, with the AFL Tribunal declaring the tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn unreasonably dangerous.
Sinn was left concussed as his head made contact with the ground during the second-quarter tackle during last Saturday’s game at Adelaide Oval.
The Tribunal also stated Curtis pinned Sinn’s arms, reducing his ability to brace in the tackle.
Speaking on SportFM, Margetts believes the suspension is disproportionate to the action.
“I think the challenge the AFL do have is the matrix for the suspension,” he said.
“It’s either zero or three, there’s no in-between there. If you said that’s a week’s suspension because of the player’s outcome, most people could accept that.
“For a player who’s what would appear to be a pretty legal tackle, and unfortunately, momentum and the speed of the games caused the outcome, a three-week penalty for that, I think most people would agree… that’s a bit too tough in the circumstance.
“When you consider Conor Nash’s action got four weeks, so the gap there of one week, I don’t think that passes the pub test in my opinion.”
Curtis’s counsel, Justin Graham KC, argued there was no slinging or driving motion; rather, Curtis stopped and dropped his weight to the ground.
Graham also contested the impact grading of ‘severe’ – the highest of the categories, believing it was not rough conduct as the tackle was not unreasonable given the circumstances.
The AFL counsel disputed this, saying the force Curtis used was unnecessary, and he could have taken further action to protect Sinn, being the ball carrier.
Margetts says he wouldn’t have even paid the dangerous tackle free kick.
“It was just one of those ones where the momentum of the players is so tough,” he said.
“I’m certainly not saying for one second that that poor player dropped his knees to drive his head forward.
“What we are finding, what I’m seeing in the game, is players are very smart to try and look for free kicks, and they know what the umpires are looking for.
“The cue is to either throw your head back or throw your head forward to get that potential dangerous tackle.”
Curtis will miss North Melbourne’s next three games against Essendon, Brisbane and Richmond.
IMAGE: AFL Media