Slinging tackles ‘hard to let go of’

Eradicating slinging tackles could be harder than stopping head-high bumps, according to all-Australian Jack Sinclair, who suggested the focus on dialling up St Kilda’s lacklustre pressure played its part in the incident that resulted in a suspension for teammate Jack Higgins.

Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir was concussed on Friday night when Higgins pinned his arm while tackling him at Adelaide Oval. The tackle resulted in a three-game suspension, one the club opted to challenge at the tribunal.

Sinclair conceded that Higgins “probably got that one wrong” and players were increasingly aware of the duty of care they held towards opponents when it came to the physicality they could exhibit through tackling and bumping.

But the “split second” nature of decisions when it came to tackling specifically, combined with the need – at least at St Kilda, where the season has not gone as planned – to apply the utmost pressure, and the legacy of “getting away” with things at lower levels made the issue harder to combat, according to Sinclair.

“Growing up, we all used to sling and we got away with it. It’s something in your game you have to get rid of. Whereas the bump, you’ve never really been able to bump anyone in the head,” he said on Tuesday.

“It’s such a split-second decision, and the game moves so fast now, it’s those constant little decisions you’ve got to make. When the head is involved, you run the risk.

“Our coaches clearly say our pressure has been poor so we’re trying to work on that and work on our tackling, our physicality. It’s such a fine line, when you have an arm pinned, you have to be so careful.”

The loss of Higgins could be offset by the return of spearhead Max King for Saturday’s clash with bottom team North Melbourne as the Saints look to appease the increasingly “grump” coach, Ross Lyon.