Three-time Hawthorn premiership player Terry Wallace says it’s becoming clear James Sicily isn’t mature enough to control his emotions on the field.
The Hawks defender has been offered a one-game ban for kneeing Joel Selwood, when the two got into a scuffle off the ball.
Sicily has developed a reputation of playing on the edge of aggression, but after constant incidents have seen him lose his cool, Wallace believes clubs will now start targeting the 23-year-old.
“We spoke with Jon Ceglar (before the game on AFL Nation), who spoke really well,” he told SEN Afternoons.
“He spoke about James Sicily, about the hot head that is James Sicily, and he believed he is starting to mature up enough to deal with these things.
“Well, clearly, as we saw again yesterday, he is not.
“There is a fine line.
“I think all Hawthorn supporters love his passion and you go to a Brendon Goddard knocking over the lollies and all that.
“There is a really fine line between the passion to play the game and getting the best out of yourself because you are so passionate about playing the sport, but playing it within a manner which still allows you to control yourself.
“On the back of James Sicily going out, that could be the difference between selecting Richmond over Hawthorn.
“He is making a rod for his own back.
“Clubs will come after him and vitally get into his face.
“It’s disappointing because I love his growth and development as a player, but that’s just one little area where he has to get better at.”
Selwood told Channel 7 after the game that he “wasn’t happy” with the treatment he received from Sicily.
Sicily had 19 disposals and 513 metres gained in the thrilling one-point win over the Cats.