Katie Brennan and AFL to smoke peace pipe.

[Twodogs]

Here's the joint statement:

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2018-04-18/joint-statement-of-katie-brennan-and-the-afl


-the AFL will amend the differences in the sanctions regime to ensure AFLW players are not more likely to be suspended than men for identical conduct with identical disciplinary records.
-Katie free to play round 1
-AFL thank Western Bulldogs and Katie Brennan for bringing to their attention.

[westdog54]

So in summary:

We still won the flag
Katie no longer suspended
AFL backing down on the tribunal system.

I think we win.

[Twodogs]

So in summary:

We still won the flag
Katie no longer suspended
AFL backing down on the tribunal system.

I think we win.

Yeah but Katie misses out on playing in a premiership. I can't help but feel if this had happened to a bloke the rooftops, they would be getting screamed off of.

[BulldogBelle]

The sanction regime established by the League for the women’s game differs from the men’s game. The regime was established in good faith and in consultation and agreement with the players through the AFLPA in 2016.

One of these rules were that instead of paying a fine for dangerous play, two reprimands for rough conduct within the one season will lead to an automatic one-match suspension. Katie missed the NAB AFL Women's Grand Final after two reprimands for rough conduct within the one season led to an automatic one-match suspension for accumulative penalties.

In the men's competition, two such reprimands would equate to two fines, but the AFLW players do not receive financial sanctions due to their lower pay.

This 'concessional' rule where the women would be suspended instead of fined was apparently brought in because it was thought that due to the lower pay that women receive they would not be able to afford the fine and a suspension was a fairer option. A normal person in the street would think that if you have lower pay then just make it a proportionately lower fine, and all is equal. They didn't make it a proportionately lower fine I guess maybe because of the huge pay disparity between some top-paid players and the rest. But there is a huge disparity between some men players and the rest too, so that can't be the reason.

Unfortunately this concessional rule had an unforeseen bite in it. What if a player gets suspended due to this rule and misses the grand final? No amount of goodwill and 'suspend instead of fine' is going to make up for a player missing the grand final. The concessional rule wasn't thought through properly and was potentially very discriminatory against women.

I think that Katie was reported by Michael Christensen (who hates us, who also reported Lachie Hunter for an 'iffy' push in the face). I didn't think that Katie's report of an alleged sling tackle was justified as the tackled player had at first one arm free then the other. We challenged the report, lost and Katie got another week's suspension.

The AFLW have a number of different rules to those of the men. For example the football is smaller, the time played is less, there is a free kick for last touch out-of-bounds and there is no finals series. These rules do not deal with human rights and you may consider them to be positively discriminatory for women.

The Western Bulldogs took the matter to the Human Rights Commission for discrimination against women. An organisation can't make a rule that discriminates against women, they can make a rule that discriminates for women, but not against.

The AFL and their cohorts, ever blinded by bias have eventually seen the error of their way.

The AFL released a statement stating that "The AFL will amend the differences in the sanction’s regime to ensure AFL players are not more likely to be suspended then men for identical conduct with identical disciplinary records."

The changes mean AFLW players will no longer be more likely than male players to be suspended for identical incidents and having the same disciplinary records.

Katie Brennan's one remaining match of suspension for rough conduct has been lifted as a consequence.

The Western Bulldogs have kissed and made up. I would have sued the bas#*@#s.

What do you guys think?

[Twodogs]

Completely agree JC. Particularly about Christensen hating us.

[soupman]

Completely agree JC. Particularly about Christensen hating us.

Isn't his name Michael Christian? I've found one reason for the dislike.

[1eyedog]

So in summary:

We still won the flag
Katie no longer suspended
AFL backing down on the tribunal system.

I think we win.

Except Katie didn't get to win a flag with her mates

[Topdog]

Are they at least going to make the finals lower?