Luke Beveridge fires broadside at Eagle Mark Hutchings’ “cowardly” treatment of Jason Johannisen

[bornadog]

https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88528009Z/image/GIC14A1SE.1-0.jpg?imwidth=800

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge today slammed a “cowardly” bump by West Coast’s Mark Hutchings while expressing concern over the ongoing treatment being dished out to star playmaker Jason Johannisen.Hutchings was sent to tag the Norm Smith medallist in last Saturday’s meeting at Etihad Stadium and employed physical tactics from the outset.

The Eagles stopper played an important role in his side’s seven-point win, limiting Johannisen to just 12 disposals.
It was an extension of the recent trend of opposition teams targeting Johannisen, started by Sydney in round 12.

Beveridge said some of the attention Johannisen had been receiving was “a bit concerning” and singled out a bump laid by Hutchings at a break in play during the first quarter.

The bump felled Johannisen on the Bulldogs’ half-back line and saw them awarded a free kick at the centre bounce, which started a possession chain that finished with a goal.

But Beveridge said the penalty wasn’t heavy enough.
“He got cleaned up from behind. Hutchings ran off the bench without him looking,” Beveridge said.
“It’s cowardly and we got a free kick from it, but he got away with that.

Hutchings barely left the Norm Smith medallist’s side.Picture: Getty Images“(Johannisen) has to put up with that at the moment.

“We’re not going to go and belt Hutchings because we are a disciplined side, but some of that stuff’s a bit concerning.
“A free kick sort of doesn’t seem enough if you’re just allowed to go and clean someone up when they can’t even see you.
“You’re not hitting them in the head, but it’s not ideal.”

West Coast coach Adam Simpson immediately jumped to his player’s defence when presented with Beveridge’s comments on Wednesday afternoon. (https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/mark-hutchings-is-no-coward-says-west-coast-coach-adam-simpson-ng-b88528042z)

Beveridge said the Bulldogs had not raised the issue with the AFL umpiring department.
“They’ve got to make their own decisions on it. We won’t whinge about it,” Beveridge said.

“At least they paid a free kick, where in the past they may have missed it. That was a good thing.”
Johannisen averaged 24.3 disposals a game during the Bulldogs’ 2016 premiership season and 25.3 in the opening 10 rounds this year.
But the 24-year-old, originally from East Fremantle, has failed to cope with the extra attention and averaged just 13.8 disposals in his past four outings.

Beveridge backed Johannisen to fight his way through his form woes, with the Bulldogs set to confront second-placed Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
“He’s searching for ways with us to minimise the impact on our team, as much as him individually,” Beveridge said.
“I’ve said a number of times that we don’t need him to play a 30-possession game.

“We just haven’t had enough spread to win our fair share of games in recent times.
“I’m not really that concerned about that being a huge factor in why we’re not winning.
“It’s having an impact, but it’s way down the order.”

LINK (https://thewest.com.au/sport/afl/luke-beveridge-launches-broadside-at-eagle-mark-hutchings-cowardly-treatment-of-jason-johannisen-ng-b88528009z)

[bornadog]

Last night on AFL360, Sellars said this sort of thing ie holding, bumping in the back etc needs to be stamped out of the game, and it is the umpires that need to do it. They showed a number of incidents where by rights the umpire should call a free kick.

If the umpire takes control from the start of a game, then this sort of thing will quickly stop.

[Twodogs]

Last night on AFL360, Sellars said this sort of thing ie holding, bumping in the back etc needs to be stamped out of the game, and it is the umpires that need to do it. They showed a number of incidents where by rights the umpire should call a free kick.

If the umpire takes control from the start of a game, then this sort of thing will quickly stop.

With four umpires in some games you think they would be in a position to see most of the incidents.

[DragzLS1]

I don't mind a bit of it, but to just bowl somebody over from behind needs to be paid and stamped out. THe little bumps where players try to fire other players up can stay, heck it backfired once when they tried to rattle and get into Stringers head, only for him to actually lift and nearly be bog that day. I hope we start JJ at half forward and move him around to get his confidence up. If he gets half a dozen touches in the first qtr he will be hard to stop.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Phil Cleary on John Faine show stating this sort of thing and associated violence is playing out more in the game and needs to be taken out. Yes violence and fighting can be an attraction and if we peddle it as an attraction then we lose the mothers who will send their sons and daughters to soccer, which doesn't have violence.
It's a disgrace that the AFL judiciary allow this sort of rubbish. It's bullying and the forceful pushing in the back off the play will go on at the behest of coaches until the umpire does his/her job.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I sent the above as an email to "general@afl.com" attention McLaughlin.

[Webby]

Phil Cleary on John Faine show stating this sort of thing and associated violence is playing out more in the game and needs to be taken out.

Geez, Phil Cleary's clearly repented..!

To be fair, I can't say I can pin behind the play instances on Phil, but he and his Coburg teammates back in the day were clearly not backward in coming forward in the on-field violence stakes!!

[Flamethrower]

Geez, Phil Cleary's clearly repented..!

To be fair, I can't say I can pin behind the play instances on Phil, but he and his Coburg teammates back in the day were clearly not backward in coming forward in the on-field violence stakes!!

Phil is a changed man since the murder of his sister - he is now an anti-violence advocate.

All this faux machismo is a blight on the modern name - these cowards hide behind the fact that the victim cannot do anything to respond.

[Cyberdoggie]

With four umpires in some games you think they would be in a position to see most of the incidents.

He's not the only one. The Bont has been copping it big time this year, he gets tackled before he even has the ball and it has clearly frustrated him, resulting in his poor goal kicking and some games where he hasn't been great.

Other sides are doing whatever they can to stop our engine room players and it's working. If the umpires don't want to help then we need to find other ways to win and other players need to stand up and take the focus.
You can't target every player so our second tier players need to take some responsibility.

[Topdog]

Geez, Phil Cleary's clearly repented..!

To be fair, I can't say I can pin behind the play instances on Phil, but he and his Coburg teammates back in the day were clearly not backward in coming forward in the on-field violence stakes!!

Thats actually good to see and hear. Its very rare for a person over the age of 50 to change.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Anyone who has read 'To Kill a Mockingbird" or about lynching, knows how ignorance can lead to fear of African man's sexuality and subsequent attempts at suppressing it. Same dynamic in the fake rumour of Johanissen and Stringer's ex. I feel both Stringer and JJ have allowed themselves to become victims of the power of this innuendo, which is tragic. Couple this with the onfield harrassment JJ is getting and that wonderful burst of JJ power is shackled like a calf in a rodeo. Similarly the uplifting effect of JJ's bright personality on a group with a depressed element in it has been compromised by the cheap lies.
That's why Bevo has dignified the crap social media bullshit by coming out and addressing it. The bullshit is having an impact on some in the group, Jake feeling the need to publically call it bs.
Let's stand up Bulldogs and play with freedom and pride in the face of fear, both ours and others', let's attack the dark forces head on together and reclaim the freedom and innocence that so rightfully earned us the flag.

[SonofScray]

Bevo copping a lot of a flak from timid men who are so desperate for for some affirmation around their masculinity that they'll rewrite history and excuse acts of cowardliness. Dal Santo, the guy has never been prepared to encounter a fair, physical confrontation in his life, puffed his chest out yesterday to condone hits from behind and effectively label Bevo a sook. Then Leigh Matthews, himself a coward, maybe the biggest of them all, has the gall to comment on what is and isn't acceptable.

The rules account for most of this stuff. Pay the free kicks, lay the reports and assert a narrative on the game that cannot be twisted by these fake tough guys in the media. The game, through inaction by the officials and faux tough guy pundits in the media has become one in which we celebrate weak acts as performances of masculinity and toughness.

Given the umpires won't do their job, I'd look to ice hockey for answers. 3rd man in rule and the threat of a punch in the face if you want to behave like a dickhead, as well as the actual league disciplinary measures. Its not ideal, due the punching and what not, but at least it isn't from behind and allows players to protect themselves when the rules and officials won't.

[SquirrelGrip]

Must admit I was impressed with Razor Ray last night getting in the face of the Adelaide Crows players when they starting going after JJ. You could hear him say if you bump JJ when the ball is not in play, I will give you a free kick. It was clear there was some effect from us talking to the umpiring department about it during the week.

The other umpires though, I'm not sure they were paying attention... Even Wayne Carey commented how Tex's push into the goalpost should have disallowed the goal and paid a free kick.