Essendon coach Brad Scott has called on the AFL to overhaul its tribunal system, declaring it is now too difficult for anyone to appeal charges.
One of Scott’s players, Harry Jones, was charged with rough conduct on Kangaroo Zac Fisher in round 10, his dangerous tackle deemed careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
The Bombers decided against appealing the charge, meaning Jones was rubbed out for a week and will miss their clash with Richmond on Saturday night.
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Scott said he met with legal representatives and a biomechanist, who advised them against fighting the ban.
“We’re very disappointed … I talk all the time about controlling the things you can control, and I’m a coach, not a King’s Counsel or biomechanist,” Scott said on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, the advice from the experts was that under the way the rules are written and the way the tribunal operates, there was 0 per cent chance of getting the charge overturned.
“We don’t think it was something Harry Jones should have been suspended for, but the way the system is … at the moment, we didn’t feel we had any realistic chance.”
The Bombers coach hopes he can meet with league officials when the season comes to a close.
“I think the AFL a long time ago wanted to deter clubs from challenging every single MRO decision, which is understandable,” Scott said.
“You don’t (need) every single case being challenged on a whim but we feel it’s too punitive at the moment to challenge.
“We could challenge (Jones) on principle, but that’s all we’d be challenging on according to the advice we’ve received.”
The incident, which occurred in the second quarter of the Bombers 40-point win over North Melbourne, did not result in a free kick to Fisher.
