Dermott Brereton slams player for breaking AFL's 'unwritten rule'

AFL great Dermott Brereton has taken aim at Sydney Swans player Callum Mills for breaking one of the 'unwritten rules' of footy last weekend.

Mills earned the ire of Brereton after briefly tangling with Carlton's Liam Stocker in the first quarter of their clash last weekend.

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The Swans star earned a free kick at Stocker's expense, but briefly remonstrated and caught the Blues defender below the belt.

The innocuous moment didn't result in any action from the umpires at the time, but on Fox Footy, Brereton was quick to take aim at Mills over the interaction.

The former Hawthorn champion said it was one of those things that you 'just don't do'.

“There is an unwritten rule in football — you get punched in the head, you get elbowed, all these things that are reportable,” he said.

“You take it and you move on and say ‘I hated that but we’re all playing a man’s game’.

“There are three things you don’t do in AFL football, it’s the unwritten code — you don’t spit on your opposition, you don’t kick your opposition, and don’t whack him in the nurries. You just don’t do it.”

Brereton's comment won't take any shine off what was a good win for the Swans, who claimed a 15.10 (100) to 11.12 (78) win at the SCG.

However the Swans are sweating on the Match Review Office's verdict after key forward Buddy Franklin collected Carlton's Nic Newman with a high bump.

Franklin collected Newman in the head, but fortunately for both players, the Blues defender was able to see out the game without incident.

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Franklin booted three goals on Sunday, including a trademark showstopper from the cusp of the 50m arc, to help settle a pulsating and pressure-laden contest in which momentum shifted throughout.

Isaac Heeney, who was awarded the Goodes-O'Loughlin medal as best on ground, and Tom Papley also kicked three goals each as the Swans pulled ahead after three-quarter time.

This month marked the first time that Franklin, Heeney, Papley and Hayden McLean played together.

"They need to keep going. They'll get better, they won't get it all right," Longmire said.

"There's no secret to it. You just have to get out there and play together.

"They work out each other's little idiosyncrasies, how the others move and what they do at different times.

"He (Franklin) draws the ball so much. You have to be nice and composed to not kick it to him at times ... use the best option going forward."

Franklin grimaced while grabbing his left knee early in the final quarter, having been pinned in a tackle by opponent Liam Jones.

Franklin was slow to get to his feet but remained on the ground, continuing to draw plenty of attention from the Blues' defenders as Sydney booted 4.4 to 1.3 in a decisive fourth term.

"He said he felt fine," Longmire said.

"That (playing out the game) is a good sign."

With AAP

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