Red card send-offs on table for 2019

THE AFL will at the end of the season consider introducing a red-card system after a renewed push for a send-off rule.

But league boss Gillon McLachlan admits he thinks it poses “challenges”.

McLachlan yesterday revealed that football operations boss Steve Hocking would look at introducing a system in the wake of the sickening Andrew Gaff punch on Andrew Brayshaw, which broke the young Docker’s jaw and displaced several teeth.

AFL greats including Jonathan Brown, Gerard Healy, Paul Roos and Garry Lyon this week threw their support behind the introduction of such a rule, while Melbourne captain Nathan Jones also said it was warranted for such severe incidents.

McLachlan reiterated he is opposed to the introduction of such a rule but said Hocking will look at several ways to improve the AFL’s systems to hold players accountable for such incidents.

“I’ve expressed a personal view that I think in terms of dealing with these issues, it can create as many issues as it solves,” McLachlan said.

“Steve Hocking at the end of the year, as he does every year and that role does, will look at all the possible stuff.

“He’ll look at the red card as he should, as all the other things to say can we improve our judicial system and our accountability system and he’ll consider it and all that.”

North Melbourne star Shaun Higgins this week suggested any player who throws a punch should cop an automatic ban in a bid to eradicate it from the game.