It’s time to look at the merits of the Match Review Panel in the AFLW. Currently, the “panel” is one man, Michael Christian, who is in charge of everything from grading reported incidents to deciding upon guilt and suitable punishments. This is not a conversation to discuss the merits of one person being in charge, to do so would be unfair on Christian for simply taking a job that was offered to him; instead it is to look at whether having one person overseeing both the AFL and AFLW is the best way to go.
I hear all manner of arguments now around the consistency in decision-making being important, and it is, but at the moment there isn’t consistency between the men’s and women’s games. There have been a whole host of examples throughout the AFLW season, but Katie Brennan’s grand final suspension for a ‘rough’ tackle on Harriet Cordner over the weekend is a prime example.
Brennan’s was the quintessential textbook tackle. She had no intention of driving a player into the ground, but will now potentially miss a Grand Final because of what is an inevitability – players will at some point hit their heads. Some will argue the AFL needs to guard against concussion and protect the player, which is true, but we also have to accept that in some instances it is no one’s fault. And this is one of them.
It’s hard not to think that perhaps men get away with a little more than women in regards to what is considered rough conduct or even implied aggression on the field. Why this is is hard to say; it could be the AFL wanting as clean an image of AFLW as possible to encourage young girls to play, or it could be that how society still – even if subconsciously – views women plays a part.
When people see a woman on the ground or with a bloody nose they do react differently to when it’s a male player in the same position. I’ve seen it first-hand at local level; when a male player comes off with a cut above the eye or a bloody nose, no-one bats an eye. But when it’s a female player, a level of shock go around the ground that you don’t get outside the women’s game. This isn’t from those playing or with any long term involvement in women’s footy; for them it’s a non-issue. But for those not regularly involved there is still an element of discomfort that comes with seeing women injured.
This reaction may come from the same place the old argument that women shouldn’t play footy stems from – a version of which was most recently articulated by re-instated Hawthorn president and ex-Liberal premier Jeff Kennett. Sure, some of it is just good old-fashioned gender stereotyping and misogyny, but it also stems from the fact that a lot of people don’t like seeing women get hurt; even if the physical aspect of the game is one of the things many women and girls say they love most about it.
It needs to be recognised to that women’s Australian rules football is a very different game to men’s. That is why it is vital to next year have separate MRPs for the AFL and AFLW. It doesn’t matter what form it takes, whether it stays as one person or becomes an actual panel, what’s important is that whoever makes these decisions knows women’s football inside out.
There are plenty of people who are more than qualified, Debbie Lee although currently affiliated with the Bulldogs, would be perfect. Meg Hutchins, whenever it is that she decides to stop being a wonderful Collingwood player and ambassador, would be another. They aren’t going to be looking on with a fear for women’s safety as many do, they’re just going to be watching footy. They’ll see the hits and contact for what they are, without looking at how the affected player ended up after (unless it is a legitimately reportable offence).
Look at Katie Brennan’s suspension in light of Trent Cotchin’s report ahead of last year’s AFL grand final. In the case of Cotchin’s incident, the impact was far more severe and the effects on Dylan Shiel more serious. Shiel was forced to sit out the remainder of the preliminary final with concussion, whereas Cordner was able to play on.
It can’t be forgotten that Trent Cotchin also brought across a number of carry over points, having been fined twice throughout the year for lower level offences. Brennan only has one other offence. To put all my cards on the table I believe Cotchin should also have been allowed to play, but if the tribunal was consistent Brennan would be free to play this weekend.
Looking at the season as a whole, it’s the differences in the MRP standards between the men’s and women’s comp that highlights why we need a separate women’s MRP – stacked with people steeped in its history – for the AFLW next year. Not only would it provide more consistency, but it also creates more jobs for women in football, something which is desperately needed if we are serious about expanding the women’s game.
Yes, it would only be one job for someone who has been around a while, but it would show that the AFL understands that gender equity is more than just letting women play.
