North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has blasted the Match Review Panel's decision to suspend Jarrad Waite, saying its penalties are based on the extent of a player's injury.
Scott said the decision to suspend the 32-year-old for rough conduct was clearly based on the fact Adelaide's Tom Lynch Lynch was concussed in the incident in Hobart last Saturday.
He said the Roos wanted to appeal the decision but did not want to risk losing Waite for two weeks.
"We want to be clear that we didn't agree with the decision," Scott said.
"We're not happy with it, but the system is that if we had challenged it, he would have got two."
Scott said the Kangaroos sought legal opinion on the merits of challenging, but decided against contesting the matter further.
Scott said two North Melbourne players received free kicks for dangerous tackles in the Hobart game, but both Adelaide players who laid the tackles are able to play this week, whereas Waite was suspended.
"The only difference is that our players braced their fall with their arm free as Tom Lynch had his arm free, and one player got concussed and the other didn't. So it is clearly an outcome-based MRP at the moment," Scott said.
Scott was passionate in defending Waite's actions during his three seasons at North Melbourne describing him as a model citizen.
"He's been outstanding for us on field and off field. I don't have to talk to him at all about discipline because this is not a disciplinary issue," Scott said.
Scott said he had not spoken to the AFL about the issue, because it seemed clear to him that if a player was concussed in such a tackle, then the tackler would be suspended.
"I don't think there is enough focus on the mitigating circumstances. It's simply there is a concussion and there is going to be a result from it. I'm not sure that is right going forward for a contact sport," Scott said.
Lindsay Thomas also received a three-week suspension after collecting the Demon Corey Maynard in the VFL, with Scott saying he had a chat with the veteran during the week and everyone was ready to move forward.
"I have shown unwavering support to Lindsay and that hasn't changed in the slightest," Scott said.
"We get an opportunity now to put him through a bit of a mini pre-season and he will be available for us after the bye and we will have him in terrific physical and mental condition to go out and attack the second half of the year."
