The AFL should consider introducing red cards and sending players off the field according to David Schwarz.
The recent head knocks suffered by Paddy McCartin and Joel Selwood have renewed calls for a concussion sub to be brought in, but the Demons’ great has a different take on the issue.
“In relation to a concussion sub, if a player does a hamstring, or breaks a leg, that’s just luck,” he told SEN’s The Run Home.
“But when a player is [hit] behind the play, there may be a reason there that a third umpire could have a look at it and say ‘well hang on, he’s deliberately taken a player out, so he can’t play the rest of the game, you’re off as well.’”
“That would be something they could look at, maybe down the track.”
Schwarz said this would only happen once or twice a year, but believes players who take opponents out behind the play – such as Bachar Houli with his hit on Jed Lamb – should be ordered from the field.
“That would be one case they would say, ‘red card, see you later, you’re off because Jed Lamb’s off due to your indiscretion.’”
Houli is set to face the AFL tribunal tonight, after the MRP sent his case directly to the tribunal.