Dissecting The David Mackay Incident And Potential Ramifications

The David Mackay incident has divided the football world this week, the Midweek Rub team dissected his case in preparation for Thursday's tribunal hearing.

The Crows midfielder was sent straight to the tribunal following a head-high bump on St Kilda's Hunter Clark, with the league stating he "carelessly engaged in rough conduct".

"There's been confusion everywhere," Damian Barrett said, explaining that the AFL tribunal has lost a connection with helping fans understand certain verdicts.

"I'm no clearer on what the tribunal will do."

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Barrett posed the question surrounding Mackay's case, asking for the panel's verdict. 

"I think he should get off, there's an area in the game where there's genuine football incidents and accidents that are going to happen." Dale Thomas said.

"Like it or loathe it, there's going to be times where blokes run into each other ... It was a good old fashioned contest." 

Thomas added that while the industry must remain cautious about protecting the head from concussion, there are too many variables in the sport to crack down on every head-high bump or incident.

"If this is upheld, where do you go from here?"

Leigh Montagna believes if Mackay is rubbed out, there is no turning back from the traditional learnings about the game. 

"If we now change the rules about if you go at the football and hurt another opponent doing it fairly, how do we teach our kids to go for the ball?" Montagna said.

"It's a 360 degree game." 

Catch the full Midweek Rub here or via the LiSTNR app!