Pundits call for AFL to overhaul “amateurish” tribunal process after Lynch, McKay hearings

There have been calls for the AFL to scrap the tribunal process after a week of hearings during which both Richmond's Tom Lynch and Carlton's Harry Mckay were cleared by the tribunal, days after their separate incidents.

Lynch was sent to the tribunal directly by match review officer Michael Christian on a rough conduct charge, while the Blues appealed McKay's one-week suspension for striking.

Richmond's spearhead goalkicker was headed towards a three-match ban after he concussed Western Bulldogs defender Alex Keath, an act the MRO initially graded as 'careless conduct' and 'high impact'. The Tigers successfully argued against Lynch's charge after a protracted hearing.

Carlton's juggernaut forward also appeared at the tribunal, appealing his charge of striking against North Melbourne young gun Harry Sheezel.

McKay's hit on Sheezel on Good Friday was originally classified as 'careless, medium impact and high contact', with the Blues arguing that there was no real potential for head injury and therefore should be graded as low.

Whilst the tribunal has been busy, some are not impressed by its slow response time.

Geelong Cats icon Jimmy Bartel was quick to criticise the tribunal on Footy Classified earlier this week, stating that the tribunal's approach is "amateurish" and that outcomes should not be decided several days after the incidents occur.

"I know people will go 'Well, we are workers like everyone else', but the football season, the men's season is seven months. Everyone else in the industry is working," Bartel said.

"Media is covering it, coaches are coaching, players are working and playing, why can't we just get in front of it, get it done? If you're Carlton, you want this all put to bed on Monday if you're playing on Thursday.

"We can't keep saying we are a professional game on all levels, that's an amateurish approach," he continued.

"I'm not sure what we are doing, you can't use a public holiday as an excuse,".

The rest of the panel concurred, adding that the tribunal should commit to providing an outcome within 24-48 hours of the MRO's conclusion.

Further, Damien Barrett suggested that the tribunal should be removed altogether.

"I'm big on actually removing the tribunal...to me, the match review office has to be fully AFL headquarters operated, not an independent operator," Barrett said.

"I think the AFL has to own it or just remove the tribunals from their system and certainly remove retired players from sitting on the panel to adjudicate the outcomes of the tribunal system and basically ban the lawyers so just slow the entire process down."

Despite the comments, AFL GM of football operations Andrew Dillon is satisfied with the tribunal system and how it works. Entertaining the media on Thursday, Dillon categorically stated that the system in place provides players with the opportunity to challenge their given outcome.

"The MRO is a crucial part of the way we regulate the on-field behaviour of the players," Dillon said.

"But ... I am comfortable with the way the MRO is working. And the tribunal provides an opportunity for a player who has been charged to have their say.