Maynard incident > Maynard rule > Brayshaw retirement

[stoliboy]

If the AFL doesn’t want that in the game anymore then pass a rule that says if you smother and hit the head, then it is a suspension… similar to bumping.

Don’t pretend there is already a rule and try prosecute a player on some trumped up charge.

[Jezza]

This was the right decision. We should be happy about that but this is not something we should be celebrating. A player’s career and health may be in the balance. Let’s just move on and wish AB well.

Great post.

Happy with the outcome for our team's sake, but there's no need for the carry on and the celebrations.

Quietly move on and start preparing for the Prelim.

In the meantime, let's hope Brayshaw has a speedy recovery.

[woodys_world69]

Bruz is happy common sense prevailed.

[Pies2016]

This was the right decision. We should be happy about that but this is not something we should be celebrating. A player’s career and health may be in the balance. Let’s just move on and wish AB well.

The only certainty in all this is that at some point in the future we will be on the opposite side of such a case. I hope as a club we respond sensibly. I have no reason to believe we won’t

Finally … some perspective and balance.

[Brown26]

I don't think there will be a rule change. The facts as the tribunal saw it are basically that Maynard was reasonable in his attempt (partially successful) to smother. He couldn't have foreseen the severe impact on his landing, partly because Brayshaw contributed to it by moving into his path.

IF the rules are changed so that 1. you are responsible for ANY impact for ANY action on the football field (whether you could predict it or not) AND if you are responsible for the impact regardless of the cause (ie, whether the injured player actually CAUSED the impact) then any injury is an automatic suspension for someone.

In it's simplest form, if a player smothers a kick and gets knocked out, the KICKER is responsible, even though they didn't do anything wrong and the smotherer, who was injured, caused all of the damage.

In it's most extreme form, if a player is chasing an opposition player down the wing and pings a hamstring, the opposition player IS RESPONSIBLE for that injury. That is obviously absurd, but in the processes and legalities of the decisions, if Maynard was suspended based on the tribunals assessment, both those scenarios would be true.

If the chasing player does a non-contact ACL, and misses a year of football, how many weeks for the "offending" player, who was just running to make position? Clearly absurd, which is why Maynard had to get off.

If you're allowed to smother, you're allowed to do what Maynard did. If you're allowed to play football, you're allowed to do what Maynard did. The fact that Brayshaw got knocked out and everyone likes him makes it harder to swallow, but the facts and the processes and the legality is quite clear I think.

I think the AFL did the right thing in sending this to the tribunal - better for a panel of 3 people to deliberate this and make a considered verdict that everyone can see the reasoning behind than say "no case to answer" and everyone wonder why.

- Ben

[Cuthbert Collingwood]

I want the 6 points back for the downfield free kick!

[lazzadesilva]

This was the right decision. We should be happy about that but this is not something we should be celebrating. A player’s career and health may be in the balance. Let’s just move on and wish AB well.

Great post.

Happy with the outcome for our team's sake, but there's no need for the carry on and the celebrations.

Quietly move on and start preparing for the Prelim.

In my case I’m happily celebrating the correct decision, not the episode itself. I always thought that it was an act of football, not an intentional strike. No one has mentioned it but I immediately thought of the Phil Hughes tragedy where he was fatally injured in the act of playing cricket and no one that I remember ever blamed the bowler, Sean Abbot. Very similar situation.

[Brown26]

Ha Ha - I think even accidental high contact is still a free kick! Although, if we are saying Brayshaw moved into the contact, it's kinda like a player ducking his head (Ginni days high!). Seems a bit morbid given the result though.

- Ben

[lazzadesilva]

[Brown26]

Only if the batter headbutts the ball...

[Gerry Cooper]

great outcome and better than I expected. On to the prelim we go!

[Piesnchess]

AFL will decide tomorrow morning whether to appeal or not.

https://twitter.com/cleary_mitch/status ... wsrc%5Etfw

IT wont no way Jose, they have been totally ****, egg all over their faces, that Lana hot shot lawyer, has made them look lke total village idiots, they wont drag this on now, its gone on for too long now, torn fans apart, its over, they know its over, done and dusted, they would not have a leg to dtand on anyway, its done.

[Magpietothemax]

Celebrating this decision I don't think is out of place.
One can be concerned for Brayshaw's health and wish him a quick and full recovery, but at the same time celebrate that Maynard was not hung out to dry.
Without minimising the injury to Brayshaw, it should also be pointed out that over the last few days, Maynard would have been in significant anguish. He could not have been insulated from all the accusations that were hurled at him. He was portrayed as a borderline criminal thug who deliberately decided to take out an opposition player.
I feel justified to celebrate the fact that this verdict will be a relief to Maynard, without disrespecting the significance of the injury to Angus Brayshaw.

[Jezza]

Celebrating this decision I don't think is out of place.
One can be concerned for Brayshaw's health and wish him a quick and full recovery, but at the same time celebrate that Maynard was not hung out to dry.
Without minimising the injury to Brayshaw, it should also be pointed out that over the last few days, Maynard would have been in significant anguish. He could not have been insulated from all the accusations that were hurled at him. He was portrayed as a borderline criminal thug who deliberately decided to take out an opposition player.
I feel justified to celebrate the fact that this verdict will be a relief to Maynard, without disrespecting the significance of the injury to Angus Brayshaw.

Good post

[David]

On the question of whether or not to celebrate, there's also the issue that this may not be over. It seems unlikely, reading the tribunal's ruling, that the AFL has any grounds at all to appeal, but that doesn't mean they won't if there's enough external (or internal) pressure on them to do so.

So if there's any chance of that transpiring and us having to come back to do this again in a couple of days' time, I know exactly how I'll feel and how much I'll want the right outcome for Maynard to transpire. So I think there's nothing wrong with feeling happy and relieved about this outcome. A warrior of our club is going to (with luck) get the chance to play in a premiership-winning team.