Western Bulldogs champion Bob Murphy has called for lengthy bans for any AFL player who decides to punch an opponent during a match.
To stamp out violence in the game, Murphy wants four-match suspensions as a starting point for any non-football related punch or deliberate head trauma like the Zac Williams incident.
Williams was handed a one-match ban for engaging in rough conduct during Carlton’s 10-point win over Adelaide on Sunday.
The Blues recruit was cited for slamming Crows midfielder Ben Keays’ head into the artificial turf at Marvel Stadium.
“For all the analysis, conversation and time we as a ‘football world’ put into an incident like David Mackay and the protection of the head … whether it’s three weeks … all of that sort of stuff,” Murphy told SEN’s Bob and Andy.
“The football incidents and non-football incidents, we need to clear this up.
“If today we said, ‘Any punch, any deliberate punch – whether it’s in the stomach or the head, any punch – four weeks’. Month.
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“It’s not about how the players who are playing right now deal with it, what’s the game we are getting in three or four years?
“You can eradicate it. Four weeks – bang – gone. Any kind of deliberate punch where you’ve made the decision to punch.
“I would add, any deliberate head trauma – month. Anything in the head – a month.”
Geelong defender Tom Stewart escaped with a fine for committing a similar act to what resulted in a one-game ban for Williams.
Stewart shoved Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron’s head into the Gabba turf on Thursday night.
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