Danger refuses to let it slide

AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield has urged players to stop milking the sliding rule for free kicks as he questioned the league’s new fines system.

Dangerfield will play in today’s clash against Port Adelaide despite a corked calf that hampered him in the win over St Kilda. The new AFLPA president is more concerned about rule changes that dilute the rugged contact-based game he loves.

Several players have milked the sliding rule this year — the rule was brought in to stop injuries after Lindsay Thomas broke Gary Rohan’s leg with a low, sliding approach. Instead of going in low for the ball some players deliberately topple over a player who in some cases is reaching for the ball rather than sliding.

“Sliding to the knees is the perfect one, we have had a few instances of that a few years ago and all of a sudden we change a rule,” Dangerfield said. “Now I think there are players who exploit it and fall to ground easily and the player who is putting their head over the ball and hunting the ball is disadvantaged.

“It is something we need to continue to work on.”

Dangerfield says the AFL must continue to protect the head but believes the fines levied on AFL players are out of control.

“It is a huge whack to pay fines, some of them are 10 grand at the moment. There is a real balance we need to find,’’ he said.