BT And Damo Get Heated Over The Tackle!

Triple M Footy’s Brian Taylor and Damian Barrett were involved in a heated discussion over dangerous tackling in the wake of West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui’s one-game suspension.

Naitanui is challenging his ban at the tribunal on Wednesday evening for his tackle on Port Adelaide’s Karl Amon at Optus Stadium on the weekend.

The incident has polarised the footy community and the Triple M Footy team is no different, with BT defending Nic Nat and Damo believing the big Eagle deserved a suspension because of his lack of duty of care for Amon.

It’s fair to say sparks started to fly between the two during The Midweek Rub on Triple M’s Rush Hour on Wednesday!

“I thought it was a good tackle, an aggressive tackle certainly, but that is why you tackle – you don’t tackle to be nice to people,” BT said to Damo on Wednesday. 

“You tackle number one to dispossess them and get a free kick, and number two to hurt them – that’s why you tackle. We’ve been taught since we were kids and at the elite level that when you tackle, tackle hard, tackle aggressively but fairly. 

“He didn’t have the arms pinned, the ball did spill out in the end, he didn’t sling him. That whole rule was brought in for one reason - not to stop dangerous tackles, it was brought in to stop slinging tackles which is the dangerous one when you’re propelled out of control and can’t help but bang your head.

“As recently as this year we have had rugby players teaching AFL players how to tackle because they’re the best tacklers. So with the duty of care, I understand where you’re coming from because that is the way you would play, you personally I’m talking about. You don’t like contact and you like duty of care, so let’s not have any contact ... No, I want to crush your ribs and this duty of care thing does not wash with me in a full-on contact sport and nor should it.” 

Damo described BT as “the dinosaur that’s keeping this game back” and it’s fair to say the Bristler did not take kindly to that! 

“Don’t accuse me of being a dinosaur,” BT furiously told Damo.

“When you sign a contract to play, the duty of care should be thrown out the window upon receiving $900,000 a year – that’s the risk you take. I’ve got a bloody metal knee, I took the risk, I’m not whinging to any bastard out there about that was risky and (about) OH&S and I should’ve zigged when I zagged.

“What a load crap! And coming from you Damo, I’m absolutely sick of it. I’m absolutely sick of people like you who have actually not been there. 

“The game (in 2018) is no different in a physical sense, the coaches keep reminding us, ‘Oh, you’ve got to be tough to play the game today – just as tough as you had to be 20 years ago’, and I agree with that. It’s a tough game.”