Adelaide midfielder James Peating has been put on report — a rarity now in modern AFL football — for a dangerous tackle on Brisbane Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale.
Peating wrapped Neale up in a bear hug that would have prompted a ball-up until the Crows recruit slung Neale into the ground with a second motion.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Lachie Neale dumped in dangerous tackle.
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Lions players, and Neale himself, immediately remonstrated in retaliation, sparking a small fracas between the two sides.
The controlling field umpire could be heard yelling out to the players that Peatling had been placed on report for rough conduct.
“That was dangerous,” Matthew Richardson said on Channel 7 straight away.
“They’re the ones we’re trying to get out of the game.”
Lachie Neale dumped in a dangerous tackle from James Peatling. Credit: Channel 7 Given all games are watched and scrutinised closely for any possible reportable offences by the match review officer, on-field reports are nowhere near as common as they once were, purely because they have become somewhat outdated and unnecessary.
They are used now more as a mechanism to control behaviour more than anything.
“That’s interesting; on-field report, rough conduct,” James Brayshaw said.
Richardson added: “You don’t see that very often, JB, and on-field report.”
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When the players were eventually separated, Neale got up to take his kick, and appeared fine to continue playing, finding the ball again moments later.
That Neale was not concussed will work in Peatling’s favour when the MRO assess the incident, but he is still likely to face sanction.
If the incident is graded as medium impact, which is likely, Peatling is likely to receive a one-match ban.
Low impact would be a fine, but is unlikely, while high impact would be two matches, and is also a possibility.
A lack of concussion effectively rules out severe impact as a classification, which would have triggered an automatic three-week suspension.
It would be a second dangerous tackle ban in the same season for Peatling, who copped a one-match suspension for the same reason when he dumped Geelong’s Oisin Mullin in Round 5.