AFL Morality in Question                                                                                                                                 

Lachie Neale recently had his suspension for striking overturned by the AFL Tribunal, calling into question their stance on unnecessary violence in football. Video footage of the event clearly showed Lachie coming from behind to strike the unsuspecting player in what any reasonable person might deem to be a cowardly punch. 

In overturning his suspension, the Tribunal accepted his defense that in previously playing over 300 games he had never been charged with striking, and his good record should therefore be taken into consideration.

This defies logic. If his argument were to be extended to common law, a murderer could argue against his conviction, claiming that over the many years of his previous life he had never before murdered anybody and his good record should therefore be taken into consideration.