Former Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes has called for Hawthorn to consider stripping Ben Stratton of his captaincy for a week if the AFL don't come down hard enough on the defender for his antics on Friday night.
Stratton was found to have been repeatedly pinching Essendon forward Orazio Fantasia on Friday night, with Fantasia leaving the field with multiple bruises on his arm.
Pinching is a reportable offence according to AFL rules, with Cornes imploring the AFL to charge Stratton for his behaviour.
โThis incident is every bit merit as to why there should be a send-off rule,โ Cornes told SENโs Crunch Time.
โPinching a defenceless opponent, and it wasnโt just one pinch - it was repeated pinching. You could see on his arm thereโs seven or eight bruises that have been left there.
โThe goal umpire was aware of it โฆ why that wasnโt relayed to the field umpire and why there wasnโt a crackdown is staggering.
โA fine for this doesnโt cut it โ it was one of the most cowardly things Iโve seen all year. This is every bit worth a week suspension.โ
Pinching and pushing.
How have you perceived Stratton's treatment to Fantasia? #AFLDonsHawks pic.twitter.com/ECsZzvei9e
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) June 14, 2019
Cornes labelled the act as "disgraceful", and hopes the Hawks deal with it internally as well.
โIf Hawthorn are serious, is there a club sanction that needs to be handed down if the AFL donโt act on this?โ Cornes said.
โA week or stripping him of the captaincy for a week is about right for this โ it was one of the more cowardly things Iโve seen. I thought it was disgraceful.โ
The AFL will release their MRP findings from Friday night's match on Saturday afternoon.
