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GWS line-breaker Lachie Whitfield has turn into the most recent AFL participant charged with tough conduct below the league’s crackdown on harmful tackles however he has obtained assist from an unlikely cross-town ally.
Whitfield is dealing with a one-match ban for his dumping deal with on Fremantle’s Jordan Clark, which took some shine off the Giants’ 70-point victory on Saturday.
Whitfield pinned Clark’s proper arm as he slung his opponent to the bottom. Clark’s head hit the turf within the incident, which the match assessment officer graded as careless conduct, medium affect and excessive contact.
Swans legend Tadgh Kennelly was gobsmacked by the deal with being thought-about harmful.
“I performed soccer on the high grade for 13 years and now I don’t know how you can deal with somebody. I don’t know how you can educate my youngsters or my younger youngsters’ workforce on how you can deal with now,” he mentioned on ABC Grandstand.
Former Hawks premiership winner Dermott Brereton on Fox Footy additionally went into bat for Whitfield.
“He didn’t dump his head into the bottom, he dumps the physique to the bottom after which his head rocks ahead,” he mentioned earlier than including the tackled participant must additionally be certain that they don’t get injured after they’re being taken to the bottom by defending their heads from contact.
If he accepts the ban, Whitfield will miss the Giants’ conflict with Melbourne after the bye.
St Kilda defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has escaped suspension for hanging Richmond’s Daniel Rioli.
Wanganeen-Milera caught Rioli with an elbow to his jaw, costing the Saints a down-field free-kick of their 20-point defeat on Saturday evening.
The incident was graded as careless conduct, low affect and excessive contact.
Naughton to remain ahead regardless of Canine accidents
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has dominated out utilizing main goal-kicker Aaron Naughton to strengthen an injury-hit defence after his facet’s AFL bye.
Naughton was shifted again for the second half of Sunday’s 21-point win – 15.15 (105) to 13.6 (84) – over North Melbourne, with Liam Jones (fractured arm) and Tim O’Brien (hamstring) out of the sport.
However Beveridge will hold Naughton because the spearhead in assault when the Canine host Fremantle in spherical 16, as an alternative calling on his reserves to step up in defence.
“If we didn’t have anybody else on our listing who might presumably play there then, yeah, you’d have to think about it, completely,” Beveridge mentioned.
“However even yesterday James O’Donnell, Josh Bruce and Ryan Gardner had been all fairly stable in Footscray’s (VFL) win over Williamstown.
![Aaron Naughton of the Bulldogs celebrates a goal](https://cdn4.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Aaron-Naughton-Western-Bulldogs.jpg)
(Photograph by Michael Willson/AFL Pictures through Getty Photographs)
“There are some boys there that may are available and play these essential roles.
“As a lot as they weren’t essentially at their greatest the week earlier than, they’re nonetheless there, and Aaron’s actually essential for us ahead.”
Earlier this month, Beveridge bristled at a suggestion from Fox Footy analyst David King that Naughton needs to be switched completely to defence to spice up the Bulldogs’ premiership credentials.
The 195cm goal, who was drafted as a key defender, has kicked 26 targets in 14 video games this season after main the Canine’ goal-kicking final 12 months.
Wingman Bailey Williams was additionally used to plug a gap on the again towards North Melbourne after Jones and O’Brien sustained accidents throughout the first half.
Jones was harm within the opening levels when he obtained an unintended kick from the Kangaroos’ Paul Curtis whereas making an attempt to collect a unfastened ball.
He was taken to hospital, the place scans confirmed a fractured radius in his left forearm.
“He’ll have it plated … and I don’t understand how lengthy he’s out, however he’ll be out for some time,” Beveridge mentioned.
Jones and O’Brien be a part of fellow backmen Jason Johannisen and Ed Richards (each hamstring) on the damage listing, whereas versatile younger tall Sam Darcy (jaw) can be out of motion.
The Bulldogs’ win snapped a three-match dropping skid and improved their report to 8-6, guaranteeing they are going to stay inside the highest eight by the final of the bye rounds.
Beveridge conceded his facet is “only a margin off” the most effective groups within the competitors however has excessive hopes for the enterprise finish of the season.
“You’ll be able to bridge these gaps,” Beveridge mentioned.
“You do want a bit bit of excellent fortune together with your personnel and your damage toll, however we’ve acquired to do issues a bit higher than what we’ve got constantly to threaten.
“At the very least we’ve given ourselves a glance.
“We’re type of in there in that decrease a part of the eight and it’s our goal in our final 9 video games to see if we will nip on the heels of the extra established sides on the high finish and see what we will do.”
with AAP
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