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Why two footy greats are imploring the AFL to introduce red cards as star is sent to the Tribunal for ugly act Two footy greats have urged the AFL to toughen up on its approach to foul play Connor Nash was sent to the tribunal for a strike on Geelong's Gryan Miers Miers had appeared to suffer a concussion as a result of the incident By ED CARRUTHERS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 12:43, 22 April 2025 | Updated: 12:46, 22 April 2025 e-mail View comments Gerard Healy and Leigh Matthews are both at the end of their tethers with how AFL stars are being punished for 'reckless' actions on the footy pitch. Both believe that the league needs to toughen up on the proportion of sanctions it is handing out to players who infringe on the rules, adding that action now needs to be taken while players are on the footy pitch. In a column published on SEN's website, former Melbourne and Sydney forward, Healy, pointed to Conor Nash's actions this weekend after his swinging arm caught Geelong star Gryan Miers in the face during the Cat's seven-point win at the MCG on Monday.
The incident was graded as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact, and Nash is now due to face the tribunal. He could face a three-match ban over the act, which would see him miss games against the West Coast, Richmond and Melbourne. It came as Bailey Smith is also set to receive two fines after the Geelong midfielder shoved a football into the face of Hawks star Jarman Impey, while he also appeared to goad fans during the match.
Reflecting on Nash's strike on Miers, who appeared to be knocked unconscious by the hit, Healy believes the AFL needs to take more robust action to stop foul play like this from continuing. Gerard Healy (pictured) has implored the AFL to toughen up on its sanctions on foul play Footy great Leigh Matthews (pictured) also weighed in on the matter, concurring that the league needed to give umpires the power to hand out rad cards It came after Conor Nash (second from left) struck Gryan Miers (second from right) with a flaling arm during Hawthorn's defeat by Geelong on Monday 'For goodness' sake, how many more have to be KO'd before there is an epiphany at the AFL headquarters?' Healy fumed in his column on SEN . He added: 'The AFL have for many years put their head in the sand regarding a sending-off rule, and again their ambivalence to this issue has let the game down.
' The 1988 Brownlow Medallist believes the solution to the matter is to give umpires greater powers to dismiss players. 'The often-used excuse that there are very few of these incidents is wearing thin because they are happening way too regularly, and for fairness alone, the umpire needs to have access to a red card facility,' he said, arguing that officials should be able to address issues like this on the footy pitch. While the Hawks could be without Nash for an extended period, Healy reasoned that the incident had been a disadvantage to Geelong, who were without Miers for a large proportion of the match.
'It’s lucky Geelong won the match, for the outcry would have been far greater, and perhaps Richard Goyder - the chairman of the AFL commission - should force this through as part of his legacy before he leaves unless Andrew Dillon has picked up the challenge and changed his view and will now lead the change personally,' he said. 'Leadership is required and a change of mindset from the ivory tower, who ironically tremble at the knees over concussion, but are themselves soft in the head when someone gets knocked out.' Miers is now set to miss at least a week following the blow.
Nash is due to appear before the tribunal over the incident, which saw Miers suffer a concussion 'Gryan has entered the AFL’s concussion protocol following an incident in the third quarter of Monday’s game,' Geelong's football manager Andrew Mackie said following Monday's match. 'We will know more on his possible return timeline as he progresses through the graded return to play protocol.' AFL Hall of Famer, Matthews, also made the same point that the AFL should deploy a sending-off rule, for similar incidents.
'There’s no doubt he’ll get a few weeks,' Matthews told Fox Footy's On the Couch. 'This is the exact incident, you only see a handful a year, where there should be a send-off rule because Geelong have lost Miers, so they’re one man down and, of course, Nash stays on the field.' Like Healy, the four-time premiership player stated that Geelong were without a key member of their squad for most of the match - which meant they were at a disadvantage.
'I just think there has to be a system in place for an incident like this that it’s obvious he’s going to get reported and suspended. But it’s an evening the numbers up thing for me, so now Geelong have only got 22 players active and Hawthorn have got 23.' AFL Share or comment on this article: Why two footy greats are imploring the AFL to introduce red cards as star is sent to the Tribunal for ugly act e-mail Add comment Comments 0 Share what you think No comments have so far been submitted.
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