McLachlan remains opposed to AFL red cards

Andrew Gaff's king hit on Andrew Brayshaw has added fuel to the AFL red card fire, but the league's chief executive remains opposed to the idea.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is no fan of introducing a send off rule. (AAP)

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan remains opposed to a send-off rule at the game's top level.

Andrew Gaff's king hit on Andrew Brayshaw in the Western Derby has renewed the debate around introducing an AFL red card.

Brayshaw has a broken jaw and the Fremantle teenager will not play again this season, while Gaff was referred to the tribunal and the West Coast star is facing a season-ending suspension.

Fremantle were a man down because of Brayshaw's injury and Dockers players angrily targeted Gaff in the wake of the punch.

But McLachlan has long been an opponent of a send-off rule and his opinion has not changed.

"I played in the amateurs where the send off applied and there were inconsistencies," McLachlan told Channel Seven's Talking Footy.

"If you did it, you couldn't really go to a video referee - I think the umpires would have to make a call on the spot.

"Our system generally works very, very well.

"For one or two incidents a year, the deterrent is clearly there - we don't see that stuff much in our game any more.

"We have a system of accountability that works well, generally."

In the wake of the Gaff incident, AFL legend Leigh Matthews renewed his call for the send-off role.

Premiership coach Paul Roos also is coming around to the idea.

"I can't argue against it - that's the difficulty now," Roos said on Fox Footy's On The Couch.

"You look at (Sunday's) incident on the back of a number of others - there's nothing that a red card does that doesn't improve the situation yesterday."


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Source: AAP


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