Cats superstar Patrick Dangerfield has described the AFL tribunal as "farcial", following the decision to not suspend Ed and Charlie Curnow for making contact with umpires.
The Curnow brothers were handed $1000 fines for their indiscretion, as was Suns defender Steven May for also touching an umpire.
It came one week after Dangerfield's teammate Tom Hawkins was handed a one-match ban for a similar incident. And the Brownlow Medallist has vented his disapproval of the findings.
“I think it was farcical to be honest,” Dangerfield told SEN’s Time On.
“It’s been a couple of years running that Tom’s wore the brunt of the MRP and that’s fair enough with the jumper punch last season, and now the umpire contact this year.
“And then the following week or the following weeks, the same thing has happened and it hasn’t been consistent.
“I think we’re all scratching our heads as to where the consistency is because I’m a little confused as I think the majority of the AFL world is.
“Tom fronted up, handled himself incredibly well and copped his right whack.
“And then all of a sudden the next week the same thing happens and all of a sudden there’s a change in the adjudication.
“Seriously, it’s absolutely ridiculous.
“What are we supposed to do as football lovers when there is no consistency?
“I haven’t spoken to Tom about it but I would be right in saying that it’s just ridiculous, what’s he to think?
“I would be pretty annoyed if I was him. Ed Curnow’s a wonderful guy and I have a huge amount of respect for Ed, but we’re talking about the incident here and it’s the same as Tom’s yet it’s a different outcome.
“I just don’t agree with it.”
Dangerfield has applauded AFL head of football operations boss Steve Hocking’s decision to appeal the sanctions, saying the case digs deeper than just affecting the AFL system.
“The industry made it clear last week that umpire contact is not going to be tolerated and we understand as AFL players that we are role models for the community, and what’s accepted at AFL level does seed down to the lower levels,” he said.
“So now we’re saying it’s ok to touch umpires because obviously that’s been the ruling of it.
“I think it was a wise move. I think there was fair uproar throughout the day and late last night with the decision when it was handed down.
“I think it was a clever move.”