Kane Cornes is calling for veteran Essendon defender Michael Hurley to be suspended for multiple weeks after his late hit on Fremantle debutant Sam Sturt.
Hurley, who captained the Bombers in their narrow six-point win over Fremantle on Saturday, collected Sturt late in the final term, with the hit resulting in a 50-metre penalty.
But Cornes believes a harsher punishment should be on the cards, telling AFL.com.au's The Round So Far the recent talk around concussion in the game should see him cop a multiple week suspension.
“If you punch all the data into the MRO system then it probably comes out as a fine,” Cornes said.
“But with an off-season we’ve spent speaking about concussion and Liam Picken has spoken open and honestly about the effect it’s had on his life.
“We’ve also seen other players like Paddy McCartin at St Kilda uncertain about their careers and Polly Farmer is the first player diagnosed with a brain injury as a result of concussion…it’s got to be a one to three-week penalty (for Hurley).
“I’m not even angry if that’s three weeks because that’s undisciplined, it’s high and it’s dangerous.
“He got up and he’s OK, he took his kick and Michael Hurley probably gets a fine but I’m not upset if he cops two weeks for that.”
Sam Sturt kicked three goals in his first game at AFL level and spent the majority of the match with Hurley as his direct match up.