Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he's still waiting for an official stance from the AFL about a crackdown on punching.
The AFL has signalled jumper punches and punches to the body will no longer be tolerated, but Hardwick says he's waiting for clarification from the league on a hardened line the match review panel (MRP) will take and he's unclear on how to advise his players.
"I'm not comfortable because I'm not quite sure which way we're going," Hardwick said.
"It's probably still the same as far as I'm concerned ... there's been nothing that's come out that's said what's happening so we're still a bit clouded at this stage."
Hardwick admitted Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin was lucky to escape with just a fine after jumper-punching Fremantle's Lachie Neale in the face two weeks ago and should have missed their last-round clash with Greater Western Sydney.
"There's a possibility, but so should 25 other blokes the week before," Hardwick said.
Hardwick felt there didn't need to be a "crackdown" with the existing law already in place.
"We've probably put another layer in where there doesn't need to be another layer - it's just striking, isn't it?
"I feel that the MRP has been put in this situation where there are all these precedents -- the fact of the matter is you either hit them or you don't."
