Conca should be Charged with Assault

[Dave The Man]

That Dog Act he did vs GWS by hitting Devon Smith? in the back of the head when he was not even looking was Disgusting.

The media is trying to stop the 1-Punch Kills and that is what Exacly what Conca has done what people are trying to stop.

That happens outside of footy he would be Charged and I still think he should be

[The Prototype]

I wouldn't argue against this, it was a very cowardly act. Terrible thing for Conca to have done. Very lucky the rules are designed that he only copped 2 weeks for it.

[sixpoints]

Balderdash!
Every collision could be deemed an assault. This is such a grey area.
Players are extremely well paid emloyees who exist amongst employment legislation like all of us do, but they willingly play a high collision sport.
Every collision in a game could be deemed an assault. If I tackled you in the street like what happens in an AFL game then you could seek recompense.
Why not charge every player who costs another an injury? What if your bump (and not a dog act line Conca), busts my knee and my career is over?
It's a grey area, best left alone.
Conca's act was poor. But charging him for it is nonsense.

[Bucks5]

It isn't grey when it is clear that was a premeditated and deliberate action well outside of the rules. Do you also think that Barry Hall's punch to Brett Staker wasn't an unlawful assault?

[David]

You can't necessarily apply the law of the land to the football field, even when a player gratuitously breaks the rules. Think about it: would you send a boxer to court for causing his opponent a brain injury? You would in everyday life, but in the context of a game where the goal is to punch the other guy in the head, some leeway has to be given.

Football isn't boxing, but it's still a contact sport. Except in the very worst cases, I think the law ought to give it a wide berth.

[Bucks5]

Would you feel that way if a boxer whacked his opponent over the head with an iron bar or weapon? Just because it is a sporting arena doesn't mean the law shouldn't apply.

Sports have rules to protect the participants. If you maliciously go out of your way to break these rules to hurt someone, you use the nature of the particular 'sport' as a legal defence.

[David]

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can't treat a competitor in a contact sport like an average person on the street. They're expecting (and prepared for) heavy physical contact. There's obviously still a limit (as you say, weapons would be a different story), but the bar for prosecution is raised greatly. As a general rule of thumb, I'd have Jim O'Dea in court but not Barry Hall.

[Pies4shaw]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volenti_non_fit_injuria