West Coast Eagles star Liam Ryan calls AFL tackling bans 'ridiculous'

The controversial three-match bans of Brisbane Lions star Charlie Cameron and GWS tagger Toby Bedford have been called “ridiculous” and “laughable” by West Coast premiership hero Liam Ryan.

The Lions and Giants are appealing the suspensions for tackles resulting in concussion.

Even though Cameron’s actions ended in an injury to Eagles co-captain Liam Duggan, the dual All-Australian has found an ally in Ryan and fellow West Coast star Elliot Yeo.

“All you can do is just laugh because the decisions they make about tackling and all that stuff is just ridiculous,” Ryan told ABC Radio.

“It’s going to turn out like you can’t tackle no more.”

Yeo also thought Cameron’s tackle was “normal”.

“There’s no malice in it,” Yeo told 96FM Perth.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon refused to comment on the cases involving Cameron and Bedford because they are under appeal.

Dillon also declined to weigh into the number of players confused and unhappy with how the match review officer and the tribunal are grading tackles.

“We are seeing the game in really good shape and we just want to continue to prioritise the health and safety of our players because we don’t want to see players getting concussed,” he said in Perth on Wednesday.

The league boss also said there had been 11 dangerous tackles graded by the MRO this year, compared to 35 during the 2023 season.

On a marathon night at the tribunal on Tuesday, Bedford and Cameron were unsuccessful in overturning their respective rough conduct charges.

Both clubs on Wednesday confirmed they will head to the AFL appeals board to challenge the suspensions.

During both hearings, the AFL’s lawyer Lisa Hannon argued Cameron and Bedford should have released the arms of their opponents and been more careful when tackling.

GWS’s legal representative Anais d’Arville was scathing of the AFL’s arguments.

“Bedford was faced with the choice of tackling in the manner he did or not tackling at all,” d’Arville said.

Given the strong reaction from past and current players to the bans, both clubs were always likely to give serious consideration to contesting.

Just last week, Sydney unsuccessfully appealed against Swans star Isaac Heeney’s one-game striking ban that ruled him out of Brownlow Medal contention.

Cameron’s Lions teammate Josh Dunkley and Bedford’s Giants captain Toby Greene both expressed their bewilderment at the respective suspensions.

“I feel like this is overstepping the mark,” Greene told Fox Footy.

“This is a tackle that you’re going to see in AFL footy for the next 50 years.

“If you eradicate this, you’re just going to have to tackle standing up.”

Young North Melbourne star Harry Sheezel said it was “crazy” how tackles were being adjudicated.

“There’s no way players were getting three weeks for that (the Cameron and Bedford incidents) earlier in the year,” he told SEN on Wednesday.

Under AFL rules, Brisbane and GWS could argue there was an error of law during the tribunal hearing, that the decision was unreasonable or that the classification of the offence or sanction imposed were manifestly excessive.

Cameron is slated to miss crucial games against ladder-leaders Sydney, Gold Coast and St Kilda as last year’s grand finalists, who have won six-straight games, surge to try and secure a top-four berth.

Unless his appeal is successful, Bedford will sit out the Giants’ matches against Gold Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn.