'This is ridiculous': AFL fans seethe over suspension 'disgrace'

AFL fans have reacted angrily to a two match suspension handed to Gold Coast's Nick Holman over what many believe was a fair tackle.

Holman was charged with rough conduct after his chasedown tackle on Geelong's Mitch Duncan left the Cats midfielder with a concussion.

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He was awarded a free kick for his tackle during the game, but the Match Review Panel looked at the tape and deemed his tackle on Duncan to be dangerous because he was carried forward into the ground.

Gold Coast said they would challenge the ban on Monday afternoon, with several prominent AFL personalities speaking out against the ruling.

Brisbane Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson said it was a perfectly well-executed tackle, and simply unfortunate that Duncan had been concussed as a result.

"Surely we aren't going to accept Nick Holman's tackle as a two week ban?" he wrote on Twitter.

"That is a perfect chase from behind tackle, nothing ill towards his actions at all!

"Duncan was concussed, that's unfortunate but it's a risk we take playing a contact sport."

Journalist and commentator Stephen Quartermain also weighed in on the suspension, questioning if it was in the best interests of the game.

“This is ridiculous! A chase down tackle and Nick Holman is suspended for 2 weeks. What’s the game coming to?!” he tweeted.

Speaking on SEN radio, fellow commentator Dwayne Russell also agreed Holman shouldn't have been banned.

“It did look as if Nick Holman didn’t have a lot of other alternatives,” he said.

“The only other alternative was to not tackle, and that’s not what we want.”

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Plowman's collision with Hawthorn's Jaeger O'Meara on Saturday also attracted a two-match ban for rough conduct.

O'Meara was left dazed and left the ground to be assessed for concussion and a knock to his shoulder but Carlton will argue Plowman kept his eye on the ball and was attempting to spoil when he made "unavoidable" contact.

"A fabric of our game is that we teach players from a young age to keep your eyes on the football when you enter a contest and that is exactly what both players have done in this contest," Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd said.

"Lachie's sole intent was to contest the football, which he rightfully did in a fair and reasonable manner when he arrived at the point of impact, incidentally at the same time as his opponent.

"Lachie's eyes remained on the football the entire time and his intention was to spoil the football and any such collision was simply unavoidable."

"We believe there are sufficient grounds to contest the charge at the tribunal."

Richmond confirmed they would challenge Pickett's one-match ban for striking Brisbane's Brandon Starcevich.

The dual-premiership Tiger was reported in the fourth quarter of Friday night's game at the Gabba when he caught Starcevich with a high, late tackle - an incident that sparked a brief melee.

With AAP

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