Why Brisbane legend Brown believes the AFL should ditch one-game suspensions

Brisbane great Jonathan Brown believes the AFL should either ditch one-game suspensions altogether or change the ‘fairest’ element of Brownlow Medal eligibility.

It comes following Isaac Heeney’s one-game ban from the MRO, which will rule the medal favourite out of the race.

Brown believes the threshold for a suspension is too low and many previous winners would have been ruled ineligible for incidents under current rules.

“I actually think there shouldn’t be one-match suspensions in our game. I think we’re too suspension-happy,” Brown told SEN Breakfast.

“I think we want to keep our best players out there. The game is incredibly difficult to play and people make mistakes out there because the game is so fast and guys get suspended for them.

“So I think we should scrap the one-week suspension. It should be heavier fines, they need to negotiate with the AFLPA. Maybe there needs to be a fine scale.

“It gets rid of those ones where a player gets one week and loses the Brownlow Medal. I don’t think we would have that problem then. You’d add higher fines as a greater deterrent, but keep our great players out there – like the Heeney one.

“The ‘fairest’ is a great aspect of the Brownlow, but it hasn’t moved with the times.

“If we went through it retrospectively, I’m sure there would be about 30 of the Brownlow winners wouldn’t have won their Brownlow Medal under today’s current rules.

“Surely, we have to move with the times as well.”

Garry Lyon agrees, saying the thin line between a one-game ban and a fine shouldn’t determine Brownlow eligibility.

“I think it’s coming to the stage where we’re going to have to discuss it,” said Lyon.

“The contradictory thing is that Toby Greene, who again got fined for whacking a bloke on the weekend, is up to $30,000 of fines, he’s eligible.

“As I keep saying, as long as you keep writing the cheque, you can whack somebody and still be eligible, whereas in this instance Isaac Heeney is going to be unlucky if in fact this stance.”

Heeney at the present time is unavailable for Sydney’s clash with North Melbourne at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Swans will fight his ban at the Tribunal on Tuesday evening.