Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley reckons it’s clear; his Melbourne counterpart Simon Goodwin believes it’s still grey.
The coaches, like many in the wider AFL world, have different takes on dangerous tackles after another contentious week.
Hinkley’s Port successfully challenged midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper’s suspension at the tribunal for a dangerous tackle.
And Geelong’s Luke Dahlhaus also won a tribunal challenge after both players were initially given one-match bans by the match review officer for sling tackles.
The verdicts left Demons boss Goodwin perplexed at his utility Alex Neal-Bullen’s four-match ban for a sling tackle just three weeks ago.
“There is still some grey in how it’s being interpreted,” Goodwin told reporters on Friday.
“You can clearly see there’s a pretty significant shift between a four-week suspension and getting off.”
Neal-Bullen’s tackle concussed Adelaide’s Will Hamill, while the tackles of Powell-Pepper and Dalhaus didn’t cause serious injury.
“The action can be similar, but the outcome can be slightly different,” Goodwin said.
“You are seeing some guys at the moment challenging and getting off.
“There’s still some work to do … whether it’s the action or whether it’s the outcome, that is the significant factor.
“And clearly there’s a pretty big difference in how it’s adjudicated from an outcome perspective in terms of suspension.”
But Hinkley believed the two successful tribunal challenges this week offered some clarity.
“It looks like it’s somewhat clearer with what the results were this week,” Hinkley told reporters on Friday.
“Players will be challenged every week to try and get it as close to right every time they can.
“If not, we have a system in place that allows you to be charged and appeal that. You have got an opportunity to fight for your rights.”
But Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge differed on Thursday, saying the “dog’s breakfast” interpretations remained confusing.
Bulldog Hayden Crozier was banned for a dangerous tackle in round five, with Beveridge giving up on instructing players how to tackle because he’s uncertain how incidents will be viewed by authorities.
“There seems to be a shift again in the interpretation and what actually the end result is,” Beveridge said.