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The AFL has moved quickly to amend its dangerous tackles laws passing an emergency amendment.
Going forward players who are found guilty of a dangerous tackle will receive an automatic one match suspension.
GM of Football Operations Steve Hocking said they would penalise the action not the outcome.
"The potential to cause serious injury - that is the change that has gone on here," Hocking said.
The change comes after Shaun Burgoyne was fined $1000 reduced to $500 under league rules in place for 2020 for his tackle on Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield on Friday night.
Dangerfield bounced straight back up with MRO Michael Christian then grading it as low impact as a result.
"One of the things that was a frustration for us was that [the existing rules] didn’t capture all dangerous tackles. The potential to cause serious injury was only captured under spear tackles and pinned arms.
"Clearly over the weekend that was not the case. Dangerfield did get an arm free and moving forward we can capture all things with this strengthening."
A head injury provision exists in the tribunal guidelines but is rarely invoked. Hocking said it does not cover the specifics of a sling tackle. He said the provision could only be used with a spear tackle, or when a player's arms are pinned.
IMAGE: Yahoo Sport Australia