Richmond coach Adem Yze has expressed his frustration following the three-game suspension handed down to Rhyan Mansell at the Tribunal on Tuesday.
Mansell was thrust into the spotlight after he engaged in "forward craft" against St Kilda's Liam O'Connell, which ultimately saw him pushed into oncoming traffic and concussed after contact with Tom Lynch.
The AFL has had multiple instances of this nature in 2025 but has yet to make a firm ruling on the matter, with the Tiger forward the first to cop a "severe" whack.
"It is (disappointing)," Yze said on Wednesday.
"We thought we had a case to answer. We went there with a plan. We felt that there was no real malice in it. He was trying to get his opponent off him.
"The hardest thing is he'd probably do it again at training today to get access to wherever the ball is landing. That is part of forward craft.
"So we just need to make sure we can coach him through that and get a clear understanding of what they can and can't do."
Yze declared the most frustrating part was the lack of wiggle room on the contentious contest, with players, according to the MRO matrix, sanctioned for three weeks or completely cleared of any penalty.
"You look at it and go, can it be one?" Yze quizzed.
"And you probably say that that's okay. But when it's severe as three, it sounds like there's a lot of malice in it. So whether that's the process that needs to be changed."
Yze was also untroubled by Noah Balta's ongoing court case, with new footage emerging last week of his assault late last year.
Balta was handed a four-week AFL suspension and will be available for selection in Round 5, which the league also gave the green light to.
The premiership defender is set to be sentenced on April 22.
"We're not changing our verdict," Yze said.
"We spoke to the AFL, we've worked with the AFL, and they're really clear on that.
"He's earning the trust and respect back from not only his team, his club. He's hating not being out there.
"He's doing extras at out training. He's doing community service. He's helping around the footy club."
The Tigers will face Brisbane at the MCG on Saturday, with at least one forced change (Mansell).
Hugo Ralphsmith (hamstring) and Sam Banks (concussion) will come into consideration, while Maurice Rioli Jr. could slot into the forward line after impressive form in the reserves.
Highly touted youngster Josh Smillie has overcome his hamstring woes and trained strongly at training.
However, Yze is likely to hold back Smillie as well as Ralphsmith, playing the pair through the VFL as they build up their loads from a soft-tissue injury.
Richmond will pay tribute to former Tigers player Andrew Krakeour on Saturday.
