Luke Hodge frustrated by “inconsistent” trio of MRO outcomes

Hawthorn great Luke Hodge is confused by a trio of MRO verdicts, believing the outcomes to be inconsistent.

Last week, GWS defender Lachie Ash was suspended for a week for a dangerous tackle, something the club could not beat at the AFL Tribunal.

Now in Round 24, Carlton’s Matt Owies has been banned for a similar tackle from behind, while Bulldogs defender Liam Jones has escaped a ban for a sling tackle.

Jones’ was graded ‘low’ impact, while the other two were classed medium impact.

“I’m rapt for Liam Jones. Just for the fact that he’s had a long journey and never played in a final,” Hodge told SEN’s Sportsday.

“But I wonder how Lachie Ash is feeling from last week. The Giants went and contested it and was found guilty.

“I actually thought that Ash’s tackle was less than Jones’ and less than Matt Owies’.

“If I was Lachie Ash I’d be sitting there going – ‘I was robbed’.

“I’m sitting here going, where’s the consistency? The AFL has been so strict on it. Ash appealed and the Tribunal upheld it.

“What’s the difference? This is a 100kg bloke. The force of hitting the ground is more than Owies’.

“Jack Higgins gets up and he plays on and didn’t even have a concussion test.

“I put it in the same category as the umpires. If it is consistent, no worries. You can accept a mistake, but this is so inconsistent for similar tackles.

“The Bulldogs are sitting there going ‘how lucky are we’, and then you look at Carlton and GWS, you’ve got to be frustrated as a team and a player.”

The Blues are yet to confirm if they will head to the AFL Tribunal for the incident.