'Just play footy': AFLW gun slammed over unsporting act

Richmond Tigers captain Katie Brennan has had criticism levelled at her after appearing to target the injured shoulder of an AFLW opponent on Saturday.

Brennan, who switched to the Tigers after beginning her career with the Western Bulldogs, showed Gold Coast Suns rival Jamie Stanton no mercy after Stanton looked to have suffered a nasty knock to her shoulder.

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The Suns player needed trainers to fashion her guernsey into a makeshift sling as she walked from the ground, only to re-emerge a short time later with her shoulder heavily strapped.

Brennan was matched up on Stanton to start the second half, and she wasted no time testing out her opponent’s sore shoulder - bumping and pushing it repeatedly.

Discussing the game on ABC sports program Insiders on Sunday morning, veteran football writer Caroline Wilson and ABC Grandstand commentator Alister Nicholson were both critical of Brennan’s act.

“I don’t like it. I don’t like it in the men’s (game),” Wilson said.

“I don’t know why everyone carried on last year when … umpires are warning players not to do it. There should have been a warning.

“Not a good look for the game.”

Nicholson was in agreement, though admitted there was something to consider in the fact that Stanton was judged fit enough to return to the field.

“I don’t have a problem with the defender or the forward bumping one another but when it’s deliberately targeting that area that they have clearly injured earlier in the game (it’s not good),” he said.

“The opposite side of the coin is they’ve proven themselves fit to come back out on the ground, you’re fair game, but it’s a poor look to deliberately target an injury.”