The lengthy suspension Alex Neal-Bullen is facing for sling tackle

Melbourne forward Alex Neal-Bullen is facing a lengthy period on the sidelines after a dangerous sling tackle on Adelaide defender Will Hamill.

Hamill was concussed and ruled out for the game after the incident, with all eyes now turning to the MRO for a verdict.

Gerard Whateley believes the recent interpretation change and crackdown regarding dangerous tackles will see the incident graded severe and sent straight to the AFL Tribunal.

“It will be severe. It has to be, that’s what we’ve been told,” he told SEN’s Whateley.

“The inflationary movement that went through the categories two weeks ago was issued by the MRO, it was confirmed by the Tribunal, or endorsed by the Tribunal, and then it became policy via Steve Hocking a few days later when he told us on this program that we should expect that to be the standard.

“So, concussion should be severe in all that we have learned.

“These are interesting markers. We’re entitled to hold the system to account and demand the consistency.

“So Alex Neal-Bullen is going to be staring at a lengthy period on the sidelines when that comes back as severe and I think if you open the table up, careless, severe goes straight to the Tribunal as was the Ben Long case.”

Being sent straight to the Tribunal means Neal-Bullen will miss a minimum of three games.