Melbourne captain Jack Grimes is one of many in the AFL world dumbfounded by Jack Viney’s suspension for rough conduct.

The Demons are appealing Viney’s two-week ban by the AFL tribunal, which ruled he opted to bump Tom Lynch instead of brace for contact with the Adelaide forward.

Lynch was left with a broken jaw after the collision but Grimes confessed to being in shock after the tribunal’s decision.

“We have to be concerned for the look of our game when things like this happen,” he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

“We don’t want players like (Jack) to feel like he’s going to be constantly penalised or feeling like they have to change the way they play just to stay out on the field.”

On Twitter, the hashtag #FreeViney trended Australia-wide, and talkback radio switchboards lit up with callers eulogising the bump.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said the AFL was trying to legislate against bad luck.

“If you bump someone and they get an injury, you’re in strife … the same action without the injury would be cleared,” he told Fox Footy.

“I can’t see how that works.”

On his 39th birthday, Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher backed Viney’s hard approach to the game.

“He’s a young kid and just going in for the footy. I’m not sure what you want him to do in that situation,” he said.

“You want to see goals kicked, you want to see guys getting hit, you want to see guys getting the hard footy.”

Port Adelaide youngster Chad Wingard was one of the few player voices beating against the current.

“The AFL is really just trying to look after every player and their welfare,” he said.

“It’s not like they’re saying you can’t bump … if you hit someone’s head, you can’t do it. It’s pretty black and white.”

But Players Association general manager Ian Prendergast said the suspension had the potential to cause more injuries than it stopped.

“Last night’s decision has caused uncertainty amongst players regarding their ability to brace and protect themselves from collisions,” he said.

“We are concerned that this uncertainly has the potential to send the wrong message to players, and may actually increase the risk of players receiving head injuries, if players don’t feel they can protect themselves.”

Prominent sports physician John Orchard, who has helped the AFL compile annual injury reports, neatly summarised the AFL’s conundrum.

“AFL bumps & head injuries: Choice is either blame player (suspend) blame style (ban bump) or accept head injuries (hard to do in 2010s)” he tweeted.