Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield has escaped suspension for his tackle on Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage in Saturday night’s AFL preliminary final.
Had the Cats won, the issue would have been a major talking point ahead of next Saturday’s grand final against Sydney.
Dangerfield was charged with rough conduct for the third-quarter incident, but it was graded as low impact and that meant no suspension.
The Cats skipper pinned McCluggage’s left arm and slammed him into the ground on that side of his body.
It meant McCluggage had no chance to protect himself, with his free right arm on the wrong side of the body to cushion his fall as his head bounced off the ground.
The Lion quickly took his free kick and did not come off the ground for a head injury assessment.
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Dangerfield was also fined for striking Josh Dunkley in the second term.
Brisbane forward Eric Hipwood was charged with rough conduct against Jack Henry in the first term, but is free to play in the grand final after being fined.
Dangerfield’s dangerous tackle had already proved a point of controversy, with former player Nathan Brown arguing on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show that McCluggage had ‘exaggerated’ the contact, and should be consequently fined.
“As soon as he gets the whistle, he’s straight up,” Brown said of the Lion.
“Hugh McCluggage, for me, he exaggerated the contact. I don’t think there was any contact with his head [on the ground] at all – I’d be looking at Hugh McCluggage and going ‘almost a fine’.
“Players have got to stop doing that. Players have got to stop playing for free kicks in tackles. That is dangerous for other players.”
(with AAP)
Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich is critical of the AFLW fixturing, saying there should have been flexibility around next weekend given it’s also the AFL grand final.
The Lions will host Adelaide next Sunday in a massive clash, with Brisbane boasting a four-game winning streak after trouncing West Coast away on Sunday by 45 points.
Starcevich would have preferred a floating AFLW fixture next weekend and their game moved to Melbourne, ahead of the Lions AFL team playing Sydney in Saturday’s premiership decider.
“If you really want to do it properly, you probably put us on prior in Victoria and then we could relax afterwards and go and watch the game, regardless of what our result is,” he said after the win over the Eagles.
“We all know it’s difficult … but I just think logic says to me keep it floating and just manipulate it according to what works for those clubs.
“It’s been sitting there in their face for the last fortnight or so.
“That’s something that should have been pretty obvious, that this could eventuate.”
Sydney AFLW coach Scott Gowans also said on Sunday the Swans would travel to Melbourne on the same flight as their AFL team, with the Swans women playing the Western Bulldogs on Friday at Whitten Oval.
The Eagles did not kick a goal until Sunday’s last term, with the Lions’ inaccuracy the only negative in their 8.13 (61) to 2.4 (16) domination.
Since losing in round one, the reigning premiers have built serious momentum to set up a momentous clash at home against the Crows.
Adelaide are top with a 4-0 record, with Brisbane second on 4-1.
The Lions led by 36 points at half time, killing off the game, and Starcevich said that was crucial given they had played three matches in nine days.
“The danger with this one was, at the back of the little period we’ve gone through … where was the energy going to come from?,” he said.
“That start was terrific.”
Starcevich said watching their AFL team win the preliminary final over Geelong on Saturday also had the potential to become a distraction.
“It is exciting and it does take its toll the next day – but I’m just so glad that they found something today … and keep the good weekend for the Lions ticking along,” he said
It was the Eagles’ lowest score under new coach Daisy Pearce and their injury woes worsened, with Zoe Wakfer limping off in the last couple of minutes.
Teammate Sophie McDonald, who returned from injury on Sunday, was also forced out in the first half because of a head knock.
Lions star Natalie Grider racked up a career-best 21 disposals, with six inside 50s, while wingers Jade Ellenger and Sophie Conway sliced through the Eagles.
Ellenger kicked Brisbane’s two last-quarter goals and collected 18 possessions as Conway had a classic “almost” game.
Amassing 21 disposals and four clearances, Conway undid her fine work by being the major contributor to Brisbane’s inaccuracy, with 1.5.
(AAP)
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