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“I don’t think I’m a dirty player but obviously I’ve opened that up for speculation”

Port Adelaide defender Tom Jonas fears a dirty act doesn’t define his career, but his immediate fate rests with the AFL Tribunal tonight – with the expectation he will receive a hefty ban.

May 24, 2016, updated May 24, 2016
Tensions flare between Eagles and Power players after Tom Jonas's hit on Andrew Gaff. Photo: Ben Macmahon, AAP.

Tensions flare between Eagles and Power players after Tom Jonas's hit on Andrew Gaff. Photo: Ben Macmahon, AAP.

Jonas says he’s prepared to be given an inevitable suspension after knocking out West Coast’s Andrew Gaff in Saturday’s match.

“I have hurt one of my fellow players, that is the main thing. Hopefully I’m not remembered for that,” Jonas told reporters yesterday.

Jonas was sent straight to the tribunal by the Match Review Panel (MRP), which ruled his elbow on Gaff was intentional, with severe impact and high contact.

“I don’t think that I’m a dirty player but obviously I have opened that up for speculation,” Jonas said.

Tom Jonas runs onto Adelaide Oval before the start of the match against the West Coast Eagles. Photo: Ben Macmahon, AAP.

Tom Jonas runs onto Adelaide Oval before the start of the match against the West Coast Eagles. Photo: Ben Macmahon, AAP.

“You guys will form your own opinions but I try and play tough but fair.”

It’s a fine line that Port players have skirted this season. Jonas’ teammate Robbie Gray was cleared of a match-day report for tripping Eagle Mark LeCras, while players from both clubs were fined for the melee that ensued after Jonas’s infringement.

Robbie Gray gets his number taken after a trip on West Coast's Mark Le Cras. Photo: Michael Errey, InDaily.

Robbie Gray gets his number taken after a trip on West Coast’s Mark Le Cras. Photo: Michael Errey, InDaily.

Geelong coach Chris Scott, whose charges were also involved in a heated scuffle with Power players last month, said last night on-field remonstration is “overrated” and players are feeling pressure to “fly the flag”.

Eagles coach Adam Simpson had pleaded – to no avail – for his players not be fined, given Jonas knocked out Gaff so callously.

Scott felt players were in a catch-22 after such incidents, suggesting they would be savaged by pundits if they left Jonas alone.

“If West Coast didn’t remonstrate at all I think they would have been heavily criticised – that looks terrible,” Scott told Fox Footy.

“What does it really achieve?

“I tend to think some players are worried about not doing it, for fear of criticism.

“I heard people in the footy world talking in different games over the weekend, that it’s a good sign when the teammates are sticking up for each other.

“I just think it’s overrated. I don’t think it’s a sign that your guys are up for the fight, or they’re not.”

Scott noted Jonas’ immediate reaction would have been “Oh my God, what have I done?”.

“Everybody knew that was unacceptable,” he said.

“The line the AFL is attempting to tread is that a reaction is OK but a melee’s not.

“How you draw the distinction and what constitutes a melee – is it three or six (players involved)? Is it a bit of push and shove? Is it more than that?”

Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall disagreed with Scott, also pouring scorn on calls for a send-off rule.

“It’s a natural reaction, coming in to defend your mates,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

“I think a send-off rule is ridiculous.

“I don’t know why we’re discussing it… I don’t think there is a need for it in our game.”

Brad Scott, Chris’ twin who coaches North Melbourne, opined that “flying the flag is just crap” last year after his side gave away some cheap free kicks in a feisty game against Hawthorn.

“Push and shove is not tough. It’s not brave. It’s rubbish… it’s cowardice,” Brad Scott said at the time.

“What is tough and courageous is copping something that’s a bit untoward, getting up and staying in control.”

While the incident and its aftermath has set the AFL world talking, Jonas said his post-game apology via text messages to Gaff was accepted.

“I thought he probably wouldn’t be in the mood for a call from me and we had a bit of a message conversation, so it was good of him,” Jonas said.

“You never like to injure or see another player injured in our game. That’s not in the spirit of the game.”

The Power backman wouldn’t speculate on the length of his looming ban, which pundits have tipped to be 4-6 weeks.

“At the end of the day, I did the crime so I got to do the time. So they will come up with appropriate sanction,” he said.

“I’ll receive a sanction and cop whatever comes my way and learn from it.”

Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell was exonerated for his contact which halted Sydney’s Dan Hannebery but Western Bulldog Lin Jong was outed for two-matches for a high front-on bump on GWS defender Matt Buntine.

Fremantle fullback Zac Dawson was cleared of his match-day report for striking, while Richmond’s Ty Vickery also had a striking report tossed out.

Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs can accept a $1000 fine for striking North Melbourne’s Brent Harvey and there was a host of melee fines among the 20 charges laid from round nine games.

-AAP

 

 

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