Tim Watson believes the two match suspension for Giants veteran Sam Reid following his bump on Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe is “an injustice”.
The bump was assessed by Match Review Officer Michael Christian as careless conduct, high contact and critically, high impact as opposed to severe.
“The (match review officer), and by extension the AFL, are hypocrites,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“On one hand they are saying the head is sacrosanct. ‘We’ll do everything we can to protect the players’ heads out on the ground.’
“And then when given the opportunity to show how seriously they take concussion, head knocks and the potential for CTE, they baulk and hand out a paltry two week penalty.”
Watson says the bump called for a severe grading and a Tribunal hearing.
“At the very least,” he asserted.
“When will we take this seriously? I could argue what Reid did was more an act of footy violence than Patrick Dangerfield. He deserved a greater penalty than Patrick Dangerfield.
“Fyfe was completely passive. He was not expecting contact at that time. It knocked him off his feet, he was out to it. It was a sickening sight.”
Garry Lyon made the distinction that Dangerfield was going for a player with the ball.
“In this instance, Fyfe has no football. He’s near it, but he’s not in the process of winning it, he hasn’t got it in his hand and he’s been picked off,” Lyon added.
The dual Brownlow Medallist will miss at least one game under 12-day concussion protocols.
“Reid, though, will train hard the next fortnight without side effects. GWS will add sessions to keep him as primed as they possibly can for his return,” Watson explained.
“No-one knows now though what damage Fyfe will carry forward, and when he will feel well enough to train fully again.
“This was an injustice."
Lyon believes Christian should have referred Reid to the tribunal after his grading resulted in a short suspension.
“He should have said ‘this is what I’ve come up with, two weeks, on the basis of what you’ve put to me. I don’t think it’s sufficient so you sort it out’.”