'He'll learn': Saints coach backs Jake Carlisle after ugly act
St Kilda coach Brett Ratten says defender Jake Carlisle has learned his lesson after copping a $500 fine from the AFL and the condemnation of several high-profile former players after attempting to hit the injured hand of Sydney’s Dane Rampe.
Carlisle appeared to target Rampe’s hand during the third quarter of Saturday night’s win over the Swans, prompting Rampe’s teammates to remonstrate.
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"It's just stupid," four-time Hawthorn premiership player Jordan Lewis told Fox Footy.
"There's nothing to achieve there and it's a shocking look for the game. It just didn't need to happen."
Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson added: "You're just putting yourself in that position again for critics to come.
"You just can't be doing that. It's not a good look for anybody, in particular for Jake Carlisle."
Saints coach Ratten said on Monday that he had spoken to Carlisle about the incident, suggesting the former Bomber had succumbed to the ‘heat of the moment’, but that was really no excuse.
“I’ve had a chat to Jake. It’s not a look that is good for the game,” Ratten said on Monday.
“That was something that happened 10 or 15 years ago. We’ve moved well past that.
“He understands what he did. He’s copped his whack.
“The heat of the moment got to him I think.
He has been playing some really good football for us, but he needs to make sure he doesn’t do it again. I think he’ll learn from this.”
Brett Ratten praises unheralded Saints duo
Nick Hind and Ben Paton won't often be the headline acts in a St Kilda side laden with high-profile talent across most lines.
But the unheralded pair played important roles in the 53-point thumping of Sydney at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Hind kicked three goals from 16 disposals and laid five tackles in the most influential display of his short career to date, starring in the front half as the Saints piled on six final-quarter goals to bust the game open.
"He used his legs, some of his crumbing was first class and he hit the scoreboard," Saints coach Brett Ratten said.
"That's a really nice game for him to reflect and see what he can do and get some confidence from it."
A mature-age recruit from Essendon's VFL team at the end of 2018, 25-year-old Hind played the first two matches after the season restart in June was dropped after just three possessions against Collingwood in round three.
"He's come back the last (two) weeks and really added some grunt," Ratten said.
"The real pleasing part is he was back at the scratch matches and played really well.
"He was disappointed he was out and he tried to do something about it."
With AAP
