West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey insists he’s not an angry player, saying his two AFL suspensions this year were “brain snaps” that won’t happen again.
Shuey was handed a one-match ban for an off-the-ball strike on Fremantle’s Paul Duffield in round nine, and copped a two-game suspension when he elbowed North Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas near the groin in round 15.
Both incidents were highly undisciplined and out of character for a player so well respected within West Coast’s ranks.
Shuey said he let the team down by the two brain fades, especially after the Eagles lost all three games during his suspension.
But the 22-year-old doesn’t want to be remembered as being a dirty player, saying he will work hard to prove his doubters wrong.
“Those two suspensions were brain snaps,” Shuey said.
“It was silly, but it’s something I’ve never really had in my game. I’ve never been an angry footy player and done off-the-ball incidents.
“You do it twice and everyone starts saying it’s a pattern of behaviour, but I look at it as two instances that were out of the blue for me.
“You don’t want to build a reputation of being a dog player or a sniper.
“I know I’m not that, so it won’t happen again.”
Shuey can go some way to atoning for his two suspensions with a big game in Saturday night’s crunch clash with Collingwood at Patersons Stadium.
West Coast midfielder Daniel Kerr is available to play after accepting a reprimand for striking Port Adelaide’s Chad Wingard.
The Eagles have lost their past seven games against the Magpies, but came close to pulling off an upset in round 13 at the MCG before losing by three points.
Collingwood will be bolstered by the return of star midfielder Dane Swan from his club-imposed suspension.
And West Coast could welcome back a star of their own in the form of sharpshooter Josh Kennedy, who played in the WAFL last Sunday after recovering from a serious ankle injury.
West Coast sit in fifth spot on the table, and will need to beat Collingwood and Hawthorn in the final two rounds to secure a top-four spot.
