Gerard Healy believes Carlton’s appeal to have Zac Williams’ ban thrown out was a waste of time and money.
The Blues recruit will miss his new side’s Round 1 clash with Richmond after he was suspended for one match for a head-high bump on St Kilda’s Hunter Clark in last week’s AAMI Community Series.
After Williams copped an initial one-match sanction, the Blues opted to challenge, but the decision was upheld as many would have expected.
Speaking on Sportsday, Healy believes the process was a bit of a waste in these current times where concussion is now a major focus.
“It cost the club $10,000 and a lot of mental energy,” Healy said.
“You have to ask yourself, is it money well spent? It’s hard to believe given the climate we’re in with concussion that he gets off.
“So 50 x $200 membership’s money gets ripped up. I wouldn’t have appealed, but I guess if you don’t go you never ever know.
“If there was any environment upon which I think he would get off, it’s not this one.”
Sam McClure challenged Healy’s opinion which sparked a heated discussion of sorts prior to the news breaking of the Williams ban.
“Legal proceedings have to sit outside at any current climate that we’re in, so it’s not the rules,” McClure said.
“I’m so sick and tired of the AFL deciding to make things up as they go and making something the flavour of the month.”
Healy: “How are they making it up? It’s consistent with the decisions last year.”
McClure: “It’s not, it’s consistent with one decision in one final late (referencing Ben Long’s suspension last year).
“That concussion test that Hunter Clark had was mandatory. He had to have it. He did not stumble.”
Healy: “You continue to ignore what is clear on the vision.”
McClure: “If Zac Williams gets a week tonight, which I expect will happen when it gets upheld, good on the AFL.
“But now everyone, just know this, every single hit to the head no matter what the impact is, has the potential to cause serious injury. So if you touch someone in the head, you’re getting a week.”
Healy: “If you leave the ground in those circumstances, you’ve got no out.”
Leigh Matthews also chimed in with his opinion on the matter, saying he backs the AFL’s decision to rid the game of head knocks.
“It’s 2021 now, not 2015 or 2010,” Matthews said.
“Seriously, what Zac Williams did wouldn’t have been a free kick, probably up until about 2005 if I wanted to hazard a guess.
“When I played, ages ago, if you punched someone you’d get suspended because it was illegal, but you could ram your shoulder into their head and that was ok. Good strong play.
“To be honest, I think it’s right. The last generation have said, ‘No, you can’t use your shoulder as a weapon’.
“If Zac Williams had have actually punched him, no one would be talking about how he did something that doesn’t warrant a suspension.
“I know there was not much damage done but I think that is the kind of act that if it’s not against the rules, it should be. You start at a week because it was a deliberate bump to the head. It’s almost like a punch to the head. You can get off with those insignificant blows.
“I just think it’s where we are in footy. We’ve tried to make the game safer and I applaud that.
“Forget about how it used to be like in the old days.”