Scott: "Don't blame tribunal"
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has questioned the rule that has seen Demon Jack Trengove suspended for three matches
Scott was not surprised by the tribunal's decision to suspend Trengove for his third-quarter tackle on Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield last Sunday, when the second-year Demon pinned the Crows' right hand and slung him head-first into the ground, leaving him concussed.
But Scott said he could understand some people's disillusionment with the decision.
"I can completely understand the frustration among fans at the moment and certainly amongst some players," Scott said at Aegis Park on Wednesday.
"But I think we should be really clear [that] your frustration and anger should be directed towards the rule, not towards the decision the tribunal made.
"The AFL made things really clear as to how they'd deal with those particular incidents. You can agree with the rule or not, but I think they've adjudicated the rule as they said they would."
In November 2006, the AFL announced it would more strictly interpret and police the rule governing tackles "unnecessarily and dangerously driving an opponent into the ground with their arms pinned".
On this basis, Trengove was charged with a level-three rough conduct offence for his tackle on Dangerfield.
Scott acknowledged players now had a duty of care when bumping or tackling their opponent but said he hoped football would never lose its aggressive edge.
"I think it's very difficult for players … because we play an aggressive contact sport and part of that is being aggressive in a tackle," he said.
"I think the tackle that Trengove laid was an aggressive, good tackle, but in modern football you have a duty of care to your opponent and if that opponent's head hits the ground, it's going to be a tough situation to try and defend."
"I'd hate to get to the stage where you take the aggressive actions out of our game. I think we've always coached our players to be aggressive when they lay tackles and to really show that aggression.
"But we don't want injured players and we don't want players concussed."
Melbourne lodged an appeal over Trengove's suspension on Wednesday with the hearing to be held Thursday afternoon.