AFLPA: Tippett ban too harsh

The AFL Players Association believes Kurt Tippett's six-month suspension for his role in the Adelaide Crows' salary cap and draft tampering operation is too harsh.

Ian Prendergast, the AFLPA's general manager of player relations, said the Tippett's sanction will have a far greater impact on his career than those of club executives Steven Trigg and Phil Harper, who were given similar bans for their roles.

The Crows were found to have breached the AFL rules in relation to payments made outside Tippett's standard contract and illegally agreed to a deal to allow the player to move to the club of his choice at the end of 2012.

Prendergast acknowledged the AFL's need to punish the parties involved but felt the respective sanctions were disproportionate for player and executives.

"We note that Kurt Tippett has accepted the penalty handed down by the Commission, and that he has had the opportunity to have independent legal representation throughout this process," Prendergast said.

"We do however have some concerns at the severity of the penalty imposed on the player, given that he was taking advice from senior executives at the club and his advisors.

"Half a season out of a short playing career has a much more serious impact than six months out of a much longer career in administration or management."

With the rulings handed down, Prendergast said the Agent Accreditation Board would now take due diligence and investigate the involvement of the player's agent, Peter Blucher, to find whether or not his actions were in breach of the Regulations Governing Accredited Agents.

"The AFLPA Agent Accreditation Board now has the responsibility to investigate the role of the agent involved," Prendergast said.