SWANS premiership defender Tadhg Kennelly believes besieged Demon Tom Bugg might have played his last AFL game following his punch to Sydney’s Callum Mills.
Bugg is likely to face the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night and is set to cop a lengthy ban after striking the 2016 Rising Star winner during the early stages of Friday night’s clash between Melbourne and Sydney.
But Kennelly told Fox Sports News’ Gameday Live that Bugg’s AFL career might be in jeopardy, not just because of his punch.
Kennelly said Bugg’s recent form didn’t warrant selection in the Demons’ senior line-up.
“The concern I have: Is this his last game of AFL football? He could get six weeks … he in Melbourne’s best 22? I don’t think he is,” Kennelly said on Saturday morning.
“They start getting some players back, we could’ve seen the last of Tomas Bugg in an AFL jumper.
“It’s going to be a question of Melbourne: Does he have some value to the football team? His last thing in AFL football could be a punch to the face of a footballer.”
Kennelly predicted that Bugg would receive a four to six-week suspension for his hit on Mills.
“It’s not a great look. When you turn around and look at someone in the face and punch them in the face, it’s what the game was 20 years ago,” he said.
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“We’re not there anymore, we’ve got to move on as quick as we can from it.”
Mills’ Sydney teammate Heath Grundy said he was disappointed with the hit.
“I obviously can’t say too much, but it’s not great for the game.,” Grundy told Gameday Live.
“Fortunately Millsy’s all right — that’s the main thing from our point of view. The tribunal can sort that out on Monday.”
After Friday night’s game, Bugg publicly apologised for his actions, saying he was “embarrassed” by the hit and that he never intended to hurt Mills.
Bugg’s apology has been viewed by some in the footy community as unremorseful.
“If you weren’t (remorseful) there’d be something wrong,” Grundy said.
“If he’s remorseful it’s probably a good sign. It was probably a snap decision, I’m not too sure.”
Kennelly said he admired Bugg and Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin for “getting on the front foot” post-game.
“People are going to look at (Bugg’s apology) two ways: Is he trying to get time off from a suspension coming his way or is he genuinely remorseful? I think he’s genuinely remorseful,” Kennelly said.
“He’s doesn’t have to front the media here … but he put his hand up and went to the club and ‘said I want to front the media here because I’ve done something wrong’.
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“People say it wasn’t a great apology, but it’s straight after a game of football and there’s a lot going through his head. He didn’t have a great game after that so it’s obviously affected his output as a footballer because he’s been thinking about it.
“And I can guarantee you the Swans would’ve been letting him know about it throughout the game, saying ‘mate you’re going to be having a lengthy spell’ and been in his ear for sure. That’s hard to deal with.”
Kennelly said Swans coach John Longmire would’ve addressed the controversial first-term incident with his players during his quarter-time address.
“John doesn’t appreciate those acts — nor do a lot of people in the game of football. And if you look at the actual quarter-time huddle, Callum Mills is standing right beside the huddle,” Kennelly said.
“I’m 100 per cent sure he would’ve used it — not as a motivation, but to go about it the right way. From that point on, Sydney were never going to lose that game of football for me. Contested footy, they went at the ball really hard.”
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Originally published as ‘Does he have some value to the football team?’
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