Judd tackle could go straight to tribunal

Chris Judd’s “chicken wing” tackle which injured an opponent and earned widespread condemnation could be referred straight to the AFL tribunal.

Carlton skipper Judd was reported for misconduct during the Blues’ big loss to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

While standing over North forward Leigh Adams, who was pinned face-down in a tackle by another player, Judd forcibly lifted Adams’ arm.

Adams’ shoulder popped out in the incident, and while he returned to the field after treatment, he was unable to finish the match.

The unusual nature of Judd’s offence means the match review panel could decide not to impose a sanction on Monday and instead refer the incident straight to the tribunal on Tuesday night.

There Judd would have to defend his actions, with Carlton likely to argue their skipper was lifting Adams’ right arm to prevent him attempting to handball.

But most pundits aren’t buying it, with former Essendon star Matthew Lloyd among many saying Judd’s action was wrong.

Former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said while he didn’t believe it was in Judd’s make-up to deliberately hurt an opponent, the “calculated” nature of the action meant the AFL would have to act.

“Yes, he will get games,” Malthouse told the Seven Network’s AFL Game Day.

“The AFL have to make a statement on this.

“It’s in play, but the play had stopped so therefore it’s so calculated.

“It’s not Chris Judd. I don’t know what would go through his mind to do that.”

Judd was saying little when cornered by media at a junior football clinic at the weekend.

“You’ve got to respect the process and let the process take its course,” Judd told reporters.

But Judd has attracted prior attention for unusual on-field incidents, and carry-over demerits from a 2009 suspension in which he applied pressure with his fingers to the face of then-Brisbane player Michael Rischitelli.

He was suspended for three weeks for that incident, which also carried a charge of misconduct.

Judd’s teammate Michael Jamison also faces match review panel scrutiny on Monday for a knees-first crash onto North opponent Drew Petrie in the same match.

North onballer Jack Ziebell will also have a high hit on Carlton’s Aaron Joseph examined.

Joseph was concussed in the incident.

Experienced Geelong midfielder Joel Corey was also reported for a sling tackle on Collingwood’s Jarryd Blair during the Cats’ 31-point loss at the MCG on Saturday night.

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