Nathan Brown accuses Hugh McCluggage of staging as AFL 'dodges bullet' over contentious tackle
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AFL great Nathan Brown has unloaded on Hugh McCluggage, suggesting that the Lions midfielder should have been cited for staging.
During the third quarter of Brisbane's 10-point preliminary-final win over Geelong on Saturday evening, Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield laid a dangerous tackle on McCluggage as he received the ball.
The action saw Dangerfield sling McCluggage with one arm pinned. As a result, his head made contact with the turf as he was brought to ground.
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A free kick was subsequently awarded against Dangerfield with McCluggage unharmed in the tackle.
Patrick Dangerfield tackles Hugh McCluggage during the AFL preliminary final match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions. Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
With players suspended during the season for similar actions and a place in Saturday's grand final on the line, Brown was critical of McCluggage's theatrics.
"As soon as he heard the whistle and knew it was his free kick, he grabbed his head and got straight back up," he told Nine's AFL Sunday Footy Show.
"Hugh McCluggage for me, exaggerated the contact.
"I don't think there was any contact with his head at all.
"I'd be looking at Hugh McCluggage as almost a fine. He jumped straight up as soon as he heard the whistle.
Would Patrick Dangerfield have been rubbed out for his tackle on Hugh McCluggage? Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
"You cannot rub Patrick Dangerfield out for that. [McCluggage] was trying to be smart to get the ball, he understood what was happening."
Brown believed the only way to stop players from acting hurt to receive free kicks was by stinging them with a fine.
"Players have got to stop playing for free kicks in tackles. That is dangerous for other players," he said.
Leading AFL journalist Damien Barrett believes the league had "dodged a bullet" with the MRO decision for the offence with Geelong eventually bundled out of the finals.
"We would have been dealing with a massive match review officer, tribunal and appeals board situation this week if Geelong had won this game," he said.
"I could have gone either way and we've seen players suspended for that type of contact."
Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes argued that players staging for free kicks was a problem the AFL had created for itself and it could have heartbreaking consequences on the grand final.
"There is room in this game for just a free kick [to be awarded]. To me, that is just a free kick and nothing more to see," he said.
"You could not have had a player miss a grand final for that but unfortunately, because the AFL has rubbed out players for similar tackles before, that's the problem that they have created."
Earlier in the year, Dangerfield was let off for another sling tackle at the tribunal.
