GWS Giants star Tom Green has been reprimanded by the AFL after making “excessive, unfair or unreasonable” comments about the match review and tribunal process.
The 23-year-old went rogue on his in-house club podcast ‘In the Green Room’ during a discussion about teammate Toby Bedford’s three-match ban for a tackle on Tim Taranto.
Bedford went all the way to the AFL appeals board and won.
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“The general uproar and consensus around the Toby Bedford decision is that it is a disgrace, and I couldn’t agree more,” Green said in the episode, which has since been deleted.
“I don’t know if the tribunal has finally admitted that it is so outcome-based, but what is a better look for the game?
“Zak Butters a couple of weeks ago deliberately punched me in the face, which, again, I don’t want to see him necessarily miss a game for that. But in terms of intent and a bad look for the game, Zak Butters punched me in the face and didn’t miss any games.”
“I just think there has to be an understanding that we play a contact sport. I don’t know what I can and can’t do, am I allowed to punch someone and I am able to get off?” Green continued.
“Because apparently I can but if I tackle someone and they get concussed I get weeks. And I get we have to look after concussions and all this but I feel like the AFL is protecting themselves from a lawsuit in 30 years.”
The AFL also took issue with Green, who is an AFL Players’ Association delegate, saying the tribunal is “ruining the game”.
Despite the league’s frustration, he has only received a formal reprimand for breaching the public criticism rule.
“Green was sent a please explain and he unreservedly apologised for the comments and acknowledged poor judgment on his behalf, with his actions falling below the standards of conduct expected by the GWS Giants and the AFL,” the league said on Thursday.
“Green has been given a formal reprimand without further sanction.”
The AFL did not announce a punishment for the Giants despite the club initially publishing the podcast.
Green’s remarks were lengthy, with the midfielder repeatedly saying Bedford’s tackle was not “dirty”.
He went on to say next time he should tell Bedford to “punch Tim in the face then you won’t get rubbed out”.
“It just doesn’t make sense to me and I don’t like the way this stuff is being adjudicated,” Green said.
“I think the entire AFL and the consensus of the AFL-watching public is that it is a disgrace, because that is what it is.
“I just don’t know what I can and can’t do, so I am not going to tackle any more.”
Green said he loves playing football — and equally fans love watching it — because it is a contact sport, noting “touch footy is not a massively viewed sport”.
