Tim Watson believes Collingwood has accidentally stumbled upon the easiest way to exploit the AFL’s medical substitution rule.
Midfielder Brayden Sier was subbed out of last week’s loss to GWS with gastro, an illness coach Nathan Buckley said he wasn’t aware of pre-game.
Watson wonders whether a club could claim a player has gastro or an illness in order to bring them off and get fresh legs on, given the ‘sick’ player will likely ‘recover’ in the days following the game.
“Has Collingwood exposed the easiest way to exploit the sub rule? I call it the gastro-gap in the rule,” Watson asked on SEN Breakfast.
“I’m not suggesting there was anything untoward about this, but this weekend, you could say we need a fresh player out there, we’re going to drag Patrick Dangerfield, he’s got gastro.
“Who’s going to question that? If you get gastro, you’re going to recover in the space of a week are you not? Who checks to make sure you don’t have gastro still?
“It’s open for exploitation, isn’t it? I’m not suggesting Sier wasn’t ill by the way.”
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Garry Lyon has faith that doctors would not allow it to happen from an integrity standpoint.
“We are taking the doctors integrity as a given, that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
“Anyone can exploit it any way you’re want, what I’m saying is the doctors aren’t going to do that because it goes to the very heart of their integrity.
“And if they did, the AFL should take away their first-round draft pick next year. That would take away any incentive to try and fudge it.”