Bugg's 'dog act' sparks calls for AFL send-off rule

Tomas Bugg's shocking punch on Callum Mills has led to a number of fans and experts calling for the AFL to introduce a send-off rule.

Bugg faces a lengthy suspension after an ugly hit on Sydney's Mills, which has been labelled a "dog act" by the Swans.

NOT ACCEPTED: Mills 'rejects apology' from 'embarrassed' Bugg

The Melbourne midfielder was reported for knocking out Mills with a nasty left hook to the chin behind the play in the opening minutes of Friday night's game at the MCG.

Mills was concussed and played no further part in the game as the Swans went on to claim a 35-point win.

The fact that Mills was knocked out of the game and Bugg was allowed to play on has sparked calls for a send-off rule:

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan had addressed the introduction of a send-off rule on Friday morning following a similar incident that saw Richmond star Bachar Houli banned for four weeks.

McLachlan said he was not in favour of introducing it due to the significant impact it can have on a match.

AFL legend Paul Roos said there needs to be a change to AFL rules for such foul play.

"In this instance it is unfair that Sydney have got one down," Roos said.

"I would be all for an AFL official coming down and saying 'OK, Bugg — you're out of the game'.

"I don't think it's a send-off rule, but I think what you're doing, in a grand final, you don't want to penalise a team for an act like that."

Former Brownlow Gerard Healy agreed with Roos.

"I've been saying for a long time that the game needs a mechanism to take players off the ground that are involved in acts like Bugg, Barry Hall," Healy said.

"We've had two in two weeks, probably five in six or seven years, but I think the game needs an equalisation policy if you like.

"I think with the amount of cameras we have around, the amount of officiating, it should come in for finals at least. I think he's looking at six weeks and a push for a red card is going to be fairly significant this week."

Bugg is likely to be referred directly to the tribunal, and he faces a lengthy ban after a week where the fallout from Houli's hit on Jed Lamb dominated the headlines.

The 24-year-old insisted he had not intended to hurt Mills, but the incident left Swans players less than impressed.

"It was a pretty dog act," Swans forward Tom Papley told AAP.

"That's not how we go about it, it's not what the league's about. If you want to be tough, you be tough at the contest, not 80 metres off the ball.

"He'll have to deal with it. He'll cop his whack and we move on."

Bugg is believed to have apologised to Mills after the game, and later said he would cop whatever consequences came his way.

"I saw the footage and it does look really bad," he told the Seven Network.

"I'm a bit embarrassed. It looks really bad but my genuine intent was not to hurt Callum.

"It was disappointing he couldn't take part in the rest of the game and going forward I hope he's OK."

with AAP