Fyfe's bump perfect, says Worsfold
Laws of the Game Committee member John Worsfold says Nat Fyfe's bump was perfect
That is the view of former West Coast coach John Worsfold who has recently joined the AFL Laws of the Game Committee.
Worsfold acknowledged the new rough conduct rule that makes players liable for head clashes if they choose to bump when they have the option to contest the ball.
And he did not dispute the Match Review Panel's two-match ban, which could have been reduced to one match - and made Fyfe available to face the Bombers - if he didn't have a poor record and carryover points.
However, the premiership coach said Fyfe's options may have been limited when he crashed into Gold Coast midfielder Michael Rischitelli in round two.
"I saw Fyfe's bump and I say that's a perfect bump," Worsfold told Melbourne radio station SEN on Friday morning.
"He hasn't run a long way to deliver it, he was in the vicinity, he can't really tackle because I know he's going to kick the ball before I get to him.
"He could dive and smother, maybe, but in that fraction of a second, depending on your exact position, sometimes you can't smother.
"He chose in that fraction of a second that the best option for him was to bump and it was a perfect bump other than their heads coming together."
Worsfold was in Melbourne on Thursday night for a meeting of the laws committee and he said he was looking forward to his role on the panel.
"What we spoke about yesterday, there's been a lot odd work put into what are the real key things that shouldn't change (in the game)," he said.
"So when people say, 'I'm going to go and watch a game of AFL footy,' there's certain things that are going to be there forever ... they know this is what our game's about.
"Then around that, what is the best way to get these things highlighted in the game?"
Worsfold said he was pleased to see the umpires "letting the game run" and paying less free kicks, particularly in ground-level packs, where players were "starting to hold their feet knowing that the ball's going to bobble out".
He said key forwards were also getting a better deal, despite suggestions that Collingwood star Travis Cloke was missing out on free kicks.
"Different forwards play different ways," Worsfold said.
"Cloke is a big strong man. He can also run but he's quite happy to engage, so the umpires are just going to have to adjudicate that as they always have.
"The forwards are getting a fair crack at it and they're able to use their body more.
"If the backman plays in front they're able to really get in and nudge them under the ball, which in the past they were getting pinged for in the back."