Fremantle defender Tendai Mzungu says the AFL’s crackdown on players sliding into opponents has left a grey area that clubs are still trying to understand.
Already this season, North Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas and Fremantle’s Greg Broughton have fallen foul of the match review panel for dangerous slides, only to have the decisions overturned on appeal.
Sydney’s Adam Goodes failed to overturn his own rough conduct charge from round three, with the veteran midfielder handed a one-match suspension for sliding knees first into Port Adelaide’s Jacob Surjan.
Mzungu said players were still unsure about the exact nature of the rule, but would continue to attack the ball with aggression if it was there to be won at ground level.
“It’s still a little bit of a grey area, I guess, but we’re working pretty hard to learn the rules and what the procedure is,” Mzungu said on Wednesday.
“The club’s been issued the documents and we’re working with them to nut it out.
“There has been injuries and it’s not something we want. If we can make it safer, we’re looking to do that. But I guess, at the moment, you hunt the ball and the ball’s the priority.
“You see the footy and your instincts tell you to go and get it.
“If there’s a rule in place that specifically says you can’t go and do that, then we’ll have to change. But until then, we’ll just try and get the ball.”
Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands trained strongly on Wednesday and is rated a good chance to return for Sunday’s home clash with Port Adelaide.