The AFL world is in uproar after news broke that St Kilda forward Dan Butler has been offered a one-match suspension for his tackle on Sydney’s Nick Blakey.
Given Blakey wasn’t concussed from the incident, fans, players and pundits have expressed their bewilderment by the verdict.
In what will be a record-breaking year for tribunal appeals, the Saints looks set to challenge the ban on Tuesday night ahead of a crucial clash against Richmond next week.
SEN’s Gerard Whateley worries that Butler won’t get off based off previous suspensions, referencing Geelong’s unsuccessful appeal to overturn Brad Close’s dangerous tackle suspension in Round 8.
“I think it’s very close to the Brad Close chase down tackle on Jordan Dawson which I think most of us felt would get off at the tribunal but failed and that was where the (tribunal) chairman was at his most strident and he read his verdict and repeated for absolute clarity around the pinning of the arms,” Whateley told SEN’s Crunchtime.
However, Whateley has identified two aspects of the tackle that the Saints need to address in the lead up to Tuesday, if the Saints do head to the tribunal.
“So, the two areas for St Kilda to zero in on is did Butler have that split second of care that fulfills his duty, that’s hard to see,” he added.
“And did he have the arm pinned or did he release it in a manner that Blakey might’ve been able to protect himself.”
Given there’s so much unknown around the tackle, Sam Edmund is expecting this to be a line ball decision.
“It’s very hard to see in the last frame as to whether he lets go or not, in all the camera angles that I’ve seen it’s very hard,” Edmund added.
“For the most part, the best I can tell is that the right arm was definitely pinned, and his landing arm was pinned at the bicep but his forearm is free.
“It’s right in the margin in terms of the arm being pinned but is there a driving motion as signalled by the umpire in real time here.
“It’s not a double action, it’s not a sling, is it a drive into the turf which is written explicitly into the tribunal guidelines for dangerous tackles as a player must not be driven into the turf.”
Butler has had a strong first half of the year for the Saints, bagging 18 goals.