The only thing different between Lloyd's bump on Sewell and Franklin's bump on Cousins was that Cousins got up - Sewell didn't.

Franklin shouldn't have been suspended, and neither should have Lloyd.

These things happen in football. It's unfortunate, it doesn't look great on television, but that's football. If Lloyd wasn't going in hard at the football, Knights would have had every right to drag him.

• Posted by: Bomber Fan on August 30, 2009 7:21 AM

In the great Essendon tradition, Lloyd follows a long line of thugs. Ron Andrews, Bill Duckworth, Terry Daniher, Roger Merrett and many more.
Essendon goes out of their way to have a hitman in their team.
1990 was lost at quarter time because of their thuggery. May Lloyd cop 4 and the Bombers get flogged next week.

• Posted by: Andrew Burt on August 30, 2009 7:34 AM

The Hawks are just not as good as they thought they were. Lucky to win a flag last year. Lucky to still be in contention for the finals this late in the season. Campbell Brown should save his puffed up anger for the pre-season. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

• Posted by: pedro on August 30, 2009 7:34 AM

This is nonsense. Lloyd has always been a ball player, and the bump on Sewell was caused by Lloyd's opponent pushing him into his path as they approached each other head-on. The AFL should outlaw threats such as Campbell's as not in the spirit of the game.

• Posted by: Garry Kinnane on August 30, 2009 7:37 AM

Matthew Llyod doesn't intentionally attack the man. What were all the comments from Hawthorn last week? No bump its the end of the game... Yet as soon as one of theirs is bumped, they cry scream and name call. Where was all the Hawthorn sympathy for Cuzzy? There was absolutely none. As for Campbell Brown he is a thug just like his father Mal.

• Posted by: Peter on August 30, 2009 7:39 AM

A clear cut, direct and deliberate,malice assault - a Buddy Attack.
He is deserving of 3 weeks - especially considering the publicity given to Frankins attack just this week. Obviously Lloyd believes he is above the football judiciary. Barrack for neither side but was there to witness. Players who aim for another should be outted and literary forced from the game

• Posted by: Peter on August 30, 2009 7:43 AM

Does Campbell Brown have any mirrors in his house? Did he ever happen to see his Dad play (and I use the word loosely!)? Was he also defending his mate for the exact same act last week? Come on Campbell WAKE UP BUDDY!!!

• Posted by: Anthony on August 30, 2009 7:49 AM

Did we need yesterday to confirm Llloyd has been a sniper for his whole career, "looks like Tarzan, generally plays like Jane"

• Posted by: Norm Allard on August 30, 2009 7:53 AM

Lloyd deserves 4 for the gutless hit, 1 for being that stupid not to realise he would be sighted and outed for it, and another one for then being a squib and running away from every contest that came his way after that. Any of you bomber fans notice he went missing after that???? Bloke is a tool and if Buddys deserved 2, his deserved 6. Bye bye fairy boy... good to see you will be forced to retire because of a suspension.

• Posted by: Jack Sparrow on August 30, 2009 8:07 AM

All these moaning Hawthorn supporters,get a life. You of course don't remember Brereton knocking out Kevin Walsh before the match started in the eighties grand final against Essendon not to mention the infamous deeds of Hawthorn thugs like DiPierdomenico and Matthews

• Posted by: Bill Watson on August 30, 2009 8:10 AM

So Campbell Brown thinks that Lloydy is a sniper! After the game he shook hands with Lloydy then behind Lloydys back b!atches about him and threatens him without the chance of Lloydy defending himself. Hmm rather Lloydy be a snob then act like a teenage girl! Besides in the past few years it was the Hawks that threw the first punch but that is probally different. Success is the best revenge - Go Dons!

• Posted by: Allison on August 30, 2009 8:14 AM

Lloyd, a gutless pretty boy who took the cheap shot and will pay the price.....and I bet he won't contest the penalty. If ever there was justification for a "payback"....this is it!

• Posted by: Pie Fan on August 30, 2009 8:14 AM

This isn't the first incident of cowardice for Lloyd. Look at the incident when he pulled the Bulldogs player from behind in a marking contest which resulted in him landing on his back and being knocked out. Or the head butt a acouple of years ago. Compare that to any acts of bravery - there are none.

He is a sniper and a coward, and if that was the only way Essendon could beat a team missing 11 starters then they won't get far in the finals.

• Posted by: Ben on August 30, 2009 8:14 AM

Brown is the biggest sniper ever and just a sook too, Brown and Hodge tried to be tuff but both got nailed. No different to the buddy hit, what else could he do, tackle him and smash their faces together due to the force. Hawthorn should worry about next year.

• Posted by: Damon on August 30, 2009 8:16 AM

Talk about sore losers. Looks like the boys down at Hawthorn don't like it when they are on the end of some "unsociable" football themselves.

As for Clarkson having a go at a genuine champion like Lloyd- what a joke. Lets not forget he is the guy who's cowardly hit started the whole battle of Britian brawl in London.

• Posted by: patrick on August 30, 2009 8:17 AM

Full open bump, you want the ball you keep your eyes open. Sewell got poleaxed by one of the best bumps of the year.

Hawks were scared afterwards. Campbell Brown was running around like a big blown up balloon, letting out that balloon noise where ever he went. He was embarassing. Why didnt he front up to Lloyd in the game? Oh yeah he is scared of him.

For the above comments, Lloyd was hit 2-3 times subsequent to that hit and got up everytime and got on with it, because he knew there was a game to win.

• Posted by: Glenferrie Tissue Box on August 30, 2009 8:19 AM

It is typical Essendon. Go the thump to get back in the game. Lloyd and Essendon are the bilbies of the AFL; protected species. They were brought back in by awful umpiring and a planned hit on the playmaker for the day.
Not a Hawthorn nor Dons fan.
Lloyd= gutless, he came off the line to do nothing but hit him, head over the ball. Was nothing like Franklin's.
Deserves 7 weeks and he knows it.

• Posted by: jake on August 30, 2009 8:20 AM

You Bomber fans need to pull your heads out. The Bombers didn't defeat the Hawks. They beat the Box Hill Hawks with an entire forward line missing, including 9 premiership players PLUS 5 who were playing the game through injuries. So as good as you think you are; you're not. When the Hawks have a full team and come to play, they will demolish you and you know it.

As for Lloyd, this was a deliberate act and I hope he gets comatised some day. The difference between Cousins hit and this, was Buddy had his arm and elbow down and hit Cousins on his side. Lloyd the Sniper and Hack, hit Sewell's head with his shoulders and he did it to take him out as he was the leading hard ball getter on the ground.

Knights ordered this.

• Posted by: Tristan on August 30, 2009 8:21 AM

Lloyd was absolutely wide open and the same could have happened to him. I am a neutral in both Lloyds and Buddys case and each instance if the player who took the knock was a few inches taller the result could have reversed. It wont be long at this rate till the players will be putting the ball through hoops and they will go through the banners in frilly skirts.

• Posted by: Geoff on August 30, 2009 8:25 AM

Of course he's a sniper. He's gutless and he likes to hurt other players.

There's a fair comparison to be made between the likes of merret and mathews from yesteryear. The difference is the those guys used to put their body on the line. Lloydy doesn't because he's gutless.

Anyway it doesn't matter. The game has passed him by and he's a hack who'll either retire now or play out his days with bendigo.

• Posted by: alfonzo on August 30, 2009 8:27 AM

For all the goons who brought up the 80's, a gutless wonder like Lloyd wouldnt have lasted 5 minutes with either the Essendon or Hawthorn sides of that era. His bump was totally intentional and he had no other goal than to take out Sewell. It is a pity as Lloyd has been a champion of our game, however he has done some sniper like things over the years. My opinion is that he hasn't got a football brain. Tonnes of physical ability but nothing upstairs!! If Buddy deserves 2 then Lloyd needs 6. It should be about intent and his was clear.

• Posted by: John of Wonga Park on August 30, 2009 8:29 AM

Well well. Hawks complaining about rough play. It's funny how things change when you're on the receiving end isn't it. Schoolyard bullies never liked any back did they?
Good on Lloyd for getting on with the game and not getting sucked in by cheap shots later by 'tough' men like Bateman.

• Posted by: pt on August 30, 2009 8:30 AM

Llloyd is no sniper. A sniper picks out his target and relentlessly pursues it - ask Dermott Brereton or Leigh Matthews about selecting a mark and going after it...

Yesterday Lloyd charged recklessly into the contest and effected illegal high contact with Brad Sewell. He was not airborne, his elbow was not raised. Could have been Mitchell, could have been Lewis...

The tribunal will do their job and put him away for 4-6 weeks, I suggest the Hawthorn team stand back and let the process unfold.

The hypocrisy of Brown is wonderful - architect of the 'line in the sand game' back in 2004 and admitted on radio that it was pretty similar to what Buddy did the week before (so what? it is ok if it one of your own but an act required publicly declared vendettas when it is someone else?).

This happens in football. Lloyd took the shots dished out to him - wittness Chance Bateman's oh-so-brave and pre-meditated coathanger - without compliant or reverting to radio threats.

Let the tribunal do it's job and move on...

• Posted by: Bubonicdave on August 30, 2009 8:33 AM

no question he will get weeks. They will offer the same deal Buddy got. But is this not win number 2 for the season?? you can bitch and moan all you like about not having the players in action but when it comes down to it the Hawks have battled all year. The Hawks let Essendon run rampant in the last quarter. They couldnt keep up when the bombers had open fields to run into. Suck it up, stop being sore losers and trying to blame the Bombers for a terrible second half from the Hawks. see you in 2010.

• Posted by: Primus on August 30, 2009 8:35 AM

As a Carlton supporter I totally agree with Campbell Brown. There is a vital difference between a bump and a charge. Matthew Lloyd's charge was pre meditated as was the attack on Hodge and one other. I was simply an observer at the MCG yesterday and Essendon's desperation to win was negligent. Sniper is very descriptive.

• Posted by: David on August 30, 2009 8:39 AM

Laydown Lloyd wasn't even looking at the ball when he took Sewell out. Disgraceful that he's going to argue that Schoenmaker (?) pushed him into the contest and forced the contact. Lloyd has been a blight on the game for many years, starting with his "playing for the free" act and now finishing with this. Your time was up long ago, Dinasaur Man.

• Posted by: Millie on August 30, 2009 8:40 AM

Dog act Lloyd, he never saw you coming and you lined him up, deserves 6 wks.

• Posted by: Simon on August 30, 2009 8:41 AM

This was exactly the type of impact the new rules are designed to discourage. Lloyd made intentional contact with a player whose head was over the ball. I'm not suggesting there was malicious intent, only that the risk of head or spinal injury is high in this scenario. The collision was very different to Franklin on Cousins - play the tapes and watch both if you disagree. Yes, I'm a Hawk supporter, I'm also a doctor. I hope the new rule and associated penalty is applied without fear or favour in this case.

• Posted by: James on August 30, 2009 8:42 AM

The essendon supports here really seem to be missing the point of the topic - which I guess is convenient for them because they have no answer. It is not about what other players of yesteryear did or Hawthorn losing and missing the finals. I'm a Hawthorn supporter and am the first to state categorically we don't deserve to be in the finals.

The question is - is Lloyd a sniper (ie gutless). The answer is clearly yes, and he has been his whole career. There is absolutely no parallel to Buddy last week, and is unintelligent to suggest otherwise. As I said earlier, if that is the only way essendon can beat a team missing 11 starters, then they have no hope this year, or next year.

• Posted by: Ben on August 30, 2009 8:42 AM

It is a sad reflection on our great game and us as spectators that we accept that an obvious breach of the rules can determine the outcome. Now the bump is banned we need to consider a send-off rule - they do it in every other professional code to eliminate the "courageous" taking out of key players to turn a game.

• Posted by: Ewen on August 30, 2009 8:43 AM

Did anyone notice that when the mellee started Lloyd ran over and picked on Michael Osborne (he only seems to have the courage to face up to smaller guys) and then when the mellee gathered in size he ducked out the back and stood by and watched and yanked his shorts up around his neck !!

• Posted by: Bob of Frankston on August 30, 2009 8:47 AM

Beautifully said Norm Allard (7.53am), love it and suits to a tee. Lllloyd couldn't have been pushed, because he didn't end up flat on his face as he always does in marking contests.

• Posted by: Dave on August 30, 2009 8:47 AM

Sniper??? come on you people... Lloyd is just another footballer. Sometimes he plays it hard. Sometimes people call him a diver. But what he did was wrong? Probably, did he do what was needed to win the game as captin. Yes. If it was your teams captain doing this you would be defending him otherwise you would not be a true fan of your club.

• Posted by: kevin on August 30, 2009 8:49 AM

Are Campbell Brown's comments the greatest example of the pot calling the kettle black? He has made a career out of being a sniper and a thug. The hipocracy of the hawks is almost laughable - they can give it, but obviously can't take it!

• Posted by: Scott on August 30, 2009 8:49 AM

Lloyd was running at the contest, at the ball, got a slight nudge from behind and the contact was with his chest - not his shoulder.
It wasn't strictly a bump, just running through. So although the impact was severe, the culpability was not as great as the Buddy bump a week ago

• Posted by: Jim Bookie on August 30, 2009 8:51 AM

Two young teams having a crack, up and comers won, reigning premiers lost. Get over it hawks fans and stop sooking

• Posted by: john on August 30, 2009 8:52 AM

Look at these whingers...The same one's pleading Buddy's case all week and how hard done by they were by the tribunal.

Lloyd's hit was no different to Buddy's, just Lloyd had more momentum - as he was actually coming off the line to attack the ball (Buddy just lined up Cousins) and Lloyd was pushed in the back by a Hawthorn player.

Both players were going hard and unfortunately these things happen and no one likes to see blokes especially like Brad Sewell get hurt.

As for Cowardly...please. Have a look at Chance Bateman's hit on Lloyd (and the other cheap shots), not to Hawthorn's attack on the ball in the second half - Brown should have put his money where his mouth is on the ground and win some hard ball and get his side back into the contest, not moan about it after the game and talk about next year.

GO DONS!!! It's great to be back in September action.

• Posted by: The Good Dr on August 30, 2009 8:53 AM

Andrew, a bit of a stupid comment considering the Hawk's greatest ever player was called LETHAL!!!

• Posted by: Scott on August 30, 2009 8:54 AM

So finally the Hawks get a taste of their own medicine. Just waiting for them to challenge the result in the courts this week...

• Posted by: Pee Don on August 30, 2009 8:55 AM

I note with bemusement the comments made by irate and ill informed Hawthorn supporters against Lloyd. A closer inspection of the actual clash with Sewell shows Lloyd hurtling into him after he was pushed from behind. In fact Lloyd was of balance and falling forward. Check it out for yourselves before making unsubstantiated emotive comments!
As for Campbell Brown's threats about getting Lloyd next year...he had a whole half of yesterdays game to exact revenge...Bateman took a cheap shot.....but not Brown. His comments on the radio were purile and reek of a sore loser.

• Posted by: Costa J K on August 30, 2009 8:58 AM

All the guys refering to the days when Mal Brown, Matthews etc played, different time different rules, you could get away with alot more back then, you cant compare with todays game. I f the AFL is going to be consistant Lloyd has to get a couple more than Buddy and we can hope that the bombers get slaughtered next week

• Posted by: Precis Pool on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM

All the guys refering to the days when Mal Brown, Matthews etc played, different time different rules, you could get away with alot more back then, you cant compare with todays game. I f the AFL is going to be consistant Lloyd has to get a couple more than Buddy and we can hope that the bombers get slaughtered next week

• Posted by: Precis Pool on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM

All the guys refering to the days when Mal Brown, Matthews etc played, different time different rules, you could get away with alot more back then, you cant compare with todays game. I f the AFL is going to be consistant Lloyd has to get a couple more than Buddy and we can hope that the bombers get slaughtered next week

• Posted by: Precis Pool on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM

All the whining Hawks supporters should take good hard look at a themselves. Oh the unsociable hawks were beaten up by Matty Lloyd. Clarkson, Brown and the rest of them are nothing but big girls in brown and gold and should go away and play with their dolls while you let the teams of men play finals.

• Posted by: Mario on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM

Lloyd is without doubt a sniper , he fractured josh thurgood cheek a few years ago when he had he's arm in brace , he has also got campbell brown also at the G in the goal square , and thats just against the hawks .

No franklin,roughead,williams,young,ladson,croad,guerra and ellis , and a cheap shot , down to 20 men , u may have beaten us , and may be playing a final , You don't deserve to play final bombers .

Hawks 2010 will be back stronger and hungrier than before.

• Posted by: Scott on August 30, 2009 8:59 AM

The matter of Lloyds action will be decided by the AFL. However in my house AFL is now banned. With the ever increasing violence on our sporting fields, by players, their parents and spectators, with violence generally in our community I was disgusted to see the behaviour of a hawthorn player after the incident and the remarks he made to a radio station. To me he promotes violence and quite frankly is no role model. Next year my children can choose a new sport.

• Posted by: Sarah Esmond on August 30, 2009 9:02 AM

looked like the ball was in dispute until the last second so was Lloyd meant to pull out of the contest? Buddy had more time to change his mind than Lloyd. Hawks sound like hypocrites to me.

• Posted by: mark g on August 30, 2009 9:02 AM

None of the footballers on any team intentionally injure players but some do get hurt in a split second decision by another player desperate to stop the opposition from moving the ball on. If another person or player wants to make it something more than that then they are the ones with the problem not those of us who see a hard fought game for what it really is. Of course Lloyd will get several weeks as consistency in sentencing will demand it.

• Posted by: Annie on August 30, 2009 9:03 AM

It was an opportunist move by Lloyd. It's fair to say he often takes these opportunities - a bit like Michael Long - both great players; and both thugs. Cheers.

• Posted by: Esp Ghia on August 30, 2009 9:05 AM

I don't follow either team. I would say that the Buddy incident, whilst not smart, was acceptable in footy terms. Cousins was upright and some would say ran clearly towards Buddy. The problem is the AFL has strict rules on head high hits, Buddy had to go.
Lloyd however steamed in from some distance and "hit" a player (Sewell) whilst his head was over the ball. Every day of the week that is not just careless but stupid. Lloyd will go and unlike Buddy will get a few deserved weeks off the ground.
I don't Lloyd is a sniper, he can play at times the big man on the ground from an intimidation perspective, but that is footy.
Campbell Brown's comment is off the mark, however goes to show emotion is still a large part of our game for our footballers, you gotta luv that!

• Posted by: Glenn on August 30, 2009 9:07 AM

LLoyd'act was that of a cowardly thug. To deliberately go out to maim a player running at the ball at full speed with his head over the ball is a disgrace. lloyd knew what he was doing,he knew Sewell wasn't watching, he knew it would maim yet he still did it. totally gutless and sickening Act. Yes others have done it but this does not excuse Lloyd. He is no strong man. That sickening hit could have ended Sewell's career I too noticed how he ran away afterwards!!

At least Franklin and Cousins made eye contact and both knew the collision was iminent. lloyd was not man enough to take on a bigger player on who was aware of his challenge. Lloyd's already suspect manliness has been confirmed. A great player who's career will now be tarnished as is his character.
If Franklin got 2 (injustice!!), lloyd must get 8 weeks!!!

• Posted by: Russell Brown on August 30, 2009 9:09 AM

Campbell Brown calling someone else a sniper........there's the pot calling the kettle.
This coming from a guy who chased and knocked out an already concussed 20 yr old Jason Winderlich several years ago. Winderlich was in the arms of trainers being assisted from the field at the time. By the way Brown, that "slap" on Monfries yesterday was nothing short of hysterical. Typical Hawthorn blouse.... you had a half of footy to "rectify" things Brown, and you skulked around like a sook. Your mate Batemans clothesline on Lloyd should get 5 weeks. Joke of a club, coached by an angry small man.

• Posted by: Michael on August 30, 2009 9:09 AM

There's something in the air...a stench called hyprocricy. Campbell Brown should get out of the glass house before making idiotic comments like that.

• Posted by: Paul on August 30, 2009 9:11 AM

Oh my. Listen to all the hyporcritical moronic Hawks supporters on here.
Even a self important doctor and a carlton supporter make comments so they must be fact.
Brown calling Lloyd a sniper is a laugh. One of the biggest thugs in the game and one of the first in taking cheap shots. He should look at his sniper teammates in the line in the sand game Bates and Vandenberg. Or do we conveniently forget Bates jumping third man in on an Essendon player when already 2 players have him down on the ground in that game.
Lloyds "bump" is even more accidental/grey than Franklins. Both going hard for a 50/50 ball, both head on, Lloyd just arriving slighly later and being nudged by an opponent into the collision.
But lets not get facts get in the way of a good story.

• Posted by: cc on August 30, 2009 9:13 AM

Mathew Llyod has been hitting guys with his big frame for years and Brown is right he does it on the sly when other players do not see or are unable to protect themselves.

It is just in this instance he got Sewell Flush and knocked him out. If you look at how Llyod plays he does this sort of cheap stuff all the time. How did the nick name velvet Sledgehammer come about. It was another word for snipper.

There are protected species in the AFL Goodes Llyod etc. Be interested to see What he gets. The difference Buddy v Llyod one had a split second to make a decesion the other ran of the line to inflict damage.

By the way Bomber fans enjoy the road trip not many of you going to see any finals!LOL very fitting

• Posted by: Richard on August 30, 2009 9:14 AM

Cambell Brown calling someone a sniper; that's a bit rich. He should think about his record, and the way he plays. Then he should think about his old man. Then he should contemplate his mate "Buddy" sitting in the stands for the same thing. Bet he doesn't thinks he's a sniper.
And as for Clarkson spewing abuse at Lloyd when he next got on the ground should not be tolerated by the AFL. Surely if a player just making a passing comment on an umpire is unacceptable, or anyone involved in the game making any comment/action that is not pristine pc correct is unacceptable, and Sheedy's throat slitting motion to Mitchell White was unacceptable, the surely it is unacceptable for "The Foul Mouthed Dwarf" to unleash a tirade of crude abuse at an opposition player. Bet the AFL don't pull him up though.
This whole affair is just a sad moment generated by the Hawthorn Whingeing Dept.

• Posted by: Reboot on August 30, 2009 9:14 AM

I've a box of tissues next to the computer, and presently I'm using them to wipe away big elephant tears for Hawthorn, who Matthew Lloyd knocked into next year, not just Sewell into next week!!!

As a neutral supporter, I thought the bump was high and deserving of weeks. It was also his only option to avoid a clash of heads which would have undoubtedly occurred had Lloyd laid a tackle, not to mention the sandwich Sewell would have found himself in with Ryder hot on his tail.

Campbell Brown should also be fined/suspended for his very public outburst, which is bringing the game into disrepute, not to mention his hypocracy, and stupidity.

Hawthorn haven't been good enough all year, and now cry foul when payback presents itself only a week after a 'hard, solid, fair' bump. Get your players to the doctors early, not wait until the new year, and you'll stand a chance of being fit for next season.

As for this year, Lloyd, and your list of excuses, let it go, you weren't good enough.

• Posted by: Adam on August 30, 2009 9:16 AM

The point with lloyd is that he's a coward. There is nothing lower than running through a guy, front on, who has his head down over the ball. He is defenceless. This is the same guy who used an illegal arm guard to knock out Josh Thurgood. Is he the only player to have used a weapon on the football field?

Combine that with his diving and playing for free kicks and you have a weakling and a coward. He has played his last game and this will be his legacy.

• Posted by: John on August 30, 2009 9:21 AM

Campbell Brown that is a really big call coming from you. You are more a sniper than Lloyd. Your an idiot.

Go Bombers!

• Posted by: Conor on August 30, 2009 9:22 AM

Hawthorn has a history over the last 2 years of being the greatest sniping team of all. They play a very tough & dirty brand of football compared to other teams and now aregetting some of their own back. Because they've had a bad year with injuries, they whinge now when their players get a knock ......grow up

• Posted by: ROKNOK on August 30, 2009 9:22 AM

Campbell Brown calling Lloyd a sniper? Pot, meet Mr Kettle. Absolute hypocrite, much like the Hawthorn fans with their self righteous defence of Franklin attacking Lloyd for the same hit. Lloyd will be suspended, but it was no worse than Buddy's hit. Perspective is something Hawks fans seem to lack.

• Posted by: A Bentick on August 30, 2009 9:22 AM

It was a cheap shot from Lloyd and that should see the end of his season. He didn't want much to do with the spotfires he created, Paddy Ryder will be missing as well. It'll be a very short finals campaign.

• Posted by: open slather on August 30, 2009 9:25 AM

The difference between the Franklin hit and Lloyd's is obvious. Lloyd's was a Charge, eyes closed, hoping to take out the man with the ball. Is he a snipe? Of course he is. And a weak one!

• Posted by: Dumbfounded on August 30, 2009 9:25 AM

Quite ironic coming from Campbell Brown isn't it? What a pillock.
Tough luck Hawks. Don't like unsociable football when it's not played on your terms by the looks of it.

• Posted by: Bucket on August 30, 2009 9:27 AM

Not sure about the whole sniper comment. The games just finished and the team has just missed out on the finals..emotions may have got the better of him. I hope Bombers supporters aren't trying to say that the game didn't change after Sewell went off. He was dominating the hard ball and keeping Jobe Watson quiet. The result may not have changed, but with Bailey and then Sewell off it certainly made it tough for Hawthorn.

• Posted by: Jason on August 30, 2009 9:32 AM

Was there ever a dirtier team than Hawthorn??

These guys are unbelievable hypocrites. None of us here will know for sure whether Lloyd meant the hit or not. The vision doesn't make it look intentional...let the powers that be decide and leave it at that.

As for all the sore losers, go grab a tissue and bugger off.

• Posted by: RFM on August 30, 2009 9:32 AM

Fancy a Carlscum supporter commenting when his team layed down once they knew Essendon had won because they are too scared to play the Bombers. What Chance Bateman did was disgraceful and outrageous compared to a legitimate bump by Lloyd that accidentally collected Sewell high. Campbell Brown is a poor mans Mal Brown. He continually forearmed Natanui in the back only for the 18 year old to kick 3 goals in a quarter and win the game. Now Hurley kicks 4. Seems like Hawks lost their focus about last September 30.

• Posted by: Jonesy on August 30, 2009 9:34 AM

Lloyd has always targeted opposition playeers when they are defenseless and vulnerable. I have yet to see Lloyd show any courage and put himself is harms way. He is sniper.

• Posted by: keefer on August 30, 2009 9:35 AM

Haha some of these comments are great... Hawthorn will be in more trouble than Essendon at the tribunal after this match - Roundhouse by Bateman on Lloyd was pre-meditated, Hodge punched Ryder before Ryder punched Hodge, and Lloyd's hit while a lot bigger than Buddies, was a lot fairer (going for ball, pushed into it) - He'll get one 1 week at worst. And Cambell Brown? Hahaha..

Bombers were too strong and too good.. Bad luck brown and yellow

• Posted by: Sam Mitchell :*( on August 30, 2009 9:42 AM

The hawthorn supporters are full of crap. Lance runs through people every week, its part of his game. In a long tradition of hawthorn thugs. Lloyd at least bent his knees and tried a legitimate hip and shoulder unlike lance who was practicing another of his run throughs. And Campbell Browne, OMG! Why is it that he consistently raises the elbow as he runs past players, he is the one that ought to get 4 weeks. He will clip someones chin one day and kill them!

• Posted by: Tim on August 30, 2009 9:44 AM

"In the great Essendon tradition, Lloyd follows a long line of thugs." Give me a break. Total drivel from a biased Hawks supporter. I guess you're too young to remember thugs like Dipper and Brereton, or perhaps the biggest thug of all, Leigh Matthews ?

• Posted by: Zak on August 30, 2009 9:47 AM

Interesting reading the many Hawk (Dawk) comments. Obviously have very short memories, how about the '83 Grand Final just to mention one in many 'take-out' instances. Then there's Brereton, Dipper and Co and I could go on.

• Posted by: Waynef on August 30, 2009 9:47 AM

Gutless act by Lloyd. Sewell never saw him coming and thats the way lloyd likes it. Smashing vulnerable and defenceless players who are totally brave and committed to going for the ball. Lloyd will now retire as he would be to scared to play again.

• Posted by: Dick Harris on August 30, 2009 9:48 AM

Geez things are getting a bit heated here aren't they? It was a great bump. As far as many of the comments I have read they have been very insulting. Lloyd isn't gutless, he doesn't like to hurt players and certainly isn't a sniper.

As far as the comments made by Campbell Brown well I think he may regret them. Yeah sure they made good radio and gives the papers something to write on a Sunday morning.

Lloyd's career speaks for itself. A little respect wouldn't go astray.

• Posted by: Carringbush2009 on August 30, 2009 9:53 AM

Lloyd is not a sniper. He was going for the ball. Brown may b in the news 2day.

• Posted by: nick on August 30, 2009 9:53 AM

Hilarious hypocritical Hawks

Hawks fans complain the bump is gone from the game. Then complain when someone bumps one of their own.

Hawks fans complain about treatment given to Buddy off the ball. McGlynn gives exactly the same treatment to Didak off the ball.

Campbell Brown calling Lloyd a sniper. Brown's hit on Winderlich was pretty bad, never mind his charge on Kreuzer and the various other visits to the tribunal.

Get over it, not your year this year.

• Posted by: Andy on August 30, 2009 9:53 AM

Lloyd acted like a sniper. Essendon has many thugs in it's team, as does Hawthorn. Suspensions should start with the offending thug being ordered off the ground. The game is FOOTball.

• Posted by: Joan on August 30, 2009 9:54 AM

Matthew Lloyd made a deliberate, premeditated, targetted hit on arguably one of Hawthorn's best ball winners, knocked him out and won the game for Essendon. Great team move, probably instigated from the coaches box at half time and could end Lloyd's career ... with good reason. But no matter what penalty is dished out to Matthew Lloyd, his selfless captain's bump got his team into the finals and apparently that was worth the price to the player and coach. Hawthorn on the other hand, were another premiership player down and unable to sustain the first half pressure that saw them leading into that third quarter. In other football codes Lloyd would have been sent off, the the playing field would have been levelled and the game continue on with both teams approximately even still. It's one of the few ways tactical thuggery can still be used as a game breaker in this most exciting of football codes. There's always next year for Hawthorn & Brad Sewell - hopefully the sniper won't be there as well.

• Posted by: Steven Solly on August 30, 2009 9:56 AM

Note to all whingeing Hawthorn supporters: "SCOREBOARD".

• Posted by: WayneF on August 30, 2009 9:56 AM

brown you had all the second half to get lloyd back, and didnt, just a trash talker, basically a hypocrite, enjoy mad monday

• Posted by: mickey on August 30, 2009 9:59 AM

The hypocrisy from the Hawthorn fans is breathtaking!! Hawthorn has been associated with thuggery for decades. We should never forget that Lethal faced criminal charges, or the record of Dipper, Dermie, and others. Campbell should also watch a few videotapes of Dad's games - zero ability but he made his "mark" in other ways!

The tribunal will deal with Lloyd and that should be the end of it.

• Posted by: watto on August 30, 2009 10:01 AM

Going after a loose ball with youir head down was one of the first things we learnt not to do back in the sixties. Sewell should have had his head up which would have altered the weight axis of his body and permitted evasion.

Taking away the legality of the shirtfront has removed an element of danger from the game and made it it a ball game rather than a war game which has permitted the cissies to thrive. the game - and our young men - are the poorer for it.
George Orwell pointed out in a famous essay that football is a metaphor for war. If that remains then it is now a feminised, bitchy catfight sort of war.

• Posted by: Miers on August 30, 2009 10:02 AM

Lloyd gets away with a lot because he has that "butter wouldn't melt in his mouth" look to him. Didn't someone once label him "the velvet sledgehammer". Yes I do believe he has been a dirty player for some time. But hey, he singlehandly turned the game for the Bombers in taking out the Hawks most influential player. Good luck to him, he is smart enough to know when and who to strike.

• Posted by: Brett on August 30, 2009 10:05 AM

Looks like the Hawks are taking on Mr Brumby's comments re: Mad Monday. They are skipping the delayed beer for a good whine on Saturday. Turn it up.

• Posted by: V Cattoggio on August 30, 2009 10:06 AM

Smacks of sore loser doesn't it? Although we have come to expect as much from this club. They have a week-long cry and threaten legal action when their player gets rubbed out. OK Buddy didn't deserve 2 weeks, we all know that, but there comes a point where you cop it on the chin and move on. Kennett though clearly can't, has to spit the dummy when he doesn't get his way. The comments from Brown and Clarkson simply compound their sore loser culture.

Speaking of Brown, these comments bring his character into question. He's made the reputation of playing hard, and was indeed very good last year, but where has his alleged hardness/courage gone recently? He's 'tough' when there's a melee on or when he's making thinly veiled threats in the media, all the handbags at 20 yard stuff, but where is he when it really matters? He's gone soft and won't put his head over the ball any more, the sign of a player who can't stomach a genuine contest. Elbows in the back after a goal has been kicked or wrestling for the ball on the ground after a ball up has been called? Good one Campbell. You and your backline were taken to pieces by a first year player kicking four goals yesterday.

One last thing, does any one remember 'line in the sand' in 2001? When the Hawks started a melee because they "weren't going to take being belted every week any more" and Vandenberg copped 6 weeks for throwing punches behing play? And the final margain was about 70 points to essendon? If yes, does yesterday feel similar to that?

• Posted by: Andrew on August 30, 2009 10:07 AM

Suck it up Hawks fans, you sooks. Every week we put up with your whining - it starts from the top with your president crying about umpires and your coach whinging about injuries and now it works its way down to the fans. Hawks used to be renowned for their unsociable football - now they're renowned for being the biggest bunch of sooky-la-la's in the league.

Essendon flogged them earlier in the year with all the the hawk "big guns" playing, and with the bombers missing a few of their own. A football team is made up of more than just their 'best 22' - the Hawks have just been shown up for their lack of depth. How about developing your players, getting your hands on the football, and quiting the excuses???

• Posted by: Tim on August 30, 2009 10:08 AM

Of course Lloyd is a sniper.
He is also a protected species. All the other power forwards get murdered by the umpires, Barry Hall, Fevola, Jonathon Brown , Buddy Franklin. Not Lloyd though, whoever he is playing on gets the same treatment as the other power forwards.

• Posted by: Stamos on August 30, 2009 10:16 AM

What about all the times Lloyd has been deliberately gone for by the opposition when he takes a mark? How could he have pulled out of going for the ball and to Andrew Burt 7:34 Terry Daniher a thug? You idiot!

• Posted by: Paul C on August 30, 2009 10:16 AM

Sewell was killing Essendon out of the middle in the first half, so Lloyd's cowardly attack was definitely premeditated, probably concocted by him and the coach at half time. Hawthorn have been great this season considering what they have been up against. Losing Sewell at that point in the game was basically the straw that broke the camel's back.

• Posted by: Jules on August 30, 2009 10:17 AM

About the only meaningful thing Lloyd did in the game, considering he's become useless at everything else.

I'd take Campbell Brown over him every day of the week, he stands up for his club and his mates and never shirks the issue.

Like Lloyd.

• Posted by: Graham on August 30, 2009 10:17 AM

Lloyd knew it was his last game in the senior side and did his bit for the team by taking out Hawthorn's best player (in the first half and on their list). It suck that an incident like this always makes the result go the wrong way. Collingwood are the best are firing up after some biffo. 1990 GF included.
Lloyd is a pretty boy who tried to be tough. It will be Matthew who next year with Hurley now on the scene.
Campbell Brown has lowered himself to say things like this on radio. Feel it but don't say it!

• Posted by: He's past it on August 30, 2009 10:18 AM

Brown needs to look up what Napoleon Syndrome is. Tell your story walking midget.

• Posted by: hercules on August 30, 2009 10:19 AM

Of course Lloyd is a sniper. He has history of doing this sort of thing and should get at least 6.

Schoemakers did not push him. Lloyd had him lined up from a few metres away and could have easily avoided it.

Though, Campbell Brown is twice the sniper that Lloyd is.

I can't believe some of rubbish some people here are spouting about the 80s. It is 2009.

• Posted by: Aaron on August 30, 2009 10:20 AM

Lloyd is a sniper...remember Zac Dawson 2 years ago? Skinny kid with his head over the ball and Lloyd went straight for the unprotected man...similar thing yesterday. Lloyd is very good at staging for free kicks and avoiding contact on himself, but is very keen to pick off an 'easy' target.

• Posted by: dan harte on August 30, 2009 10:21 AM

If what Lloyd did yesterday is Football then my chilDren won't play this thugs game. Shame on you Matthew Lloyd what you did was neither couragoues nor brave or within the spirit or rules of the game.

• Posted by: Sally Jenkins on August 30, 2009 10:21 AM

Lloyd - NOT GUILTY! He was going at the ball, and nothing but the ball, and was pushed in to it. He won't go for that. Watertight defence. Sorry Hawks, but you need to stick to facts, not wishful thinking. Sore LOSERS!!!!

• Posted by: Mark on August 30, 2009 10:22 AM

The difference between the Buddy bump and Lloyds act of cowardice was stark. Buddy's was a bump on a man which collected him slightly high whereas Lloyd's actions were reckless and were aimed at the head of a man with his head over the ball. I hope Lloyd like Matthews lives to regret his dirty actions.

• Posted by: David on August 30, 2009 10:23 AM

Going by the outcome of Franklins case, Lloyd will definitely get games. However, considering what his club stands to gain: finals experience for a team full of young and talented players, who could say it wasn't worth it. The likelihood is when Ess have a team good enough to challenge for a GF, Lloyd won't be in it anyway. He may have hastened that day though...

• Posted by: Woogie on August 30, 2009 10:25 AM

He's kidding right? What a sook! He was happy to walk the talk when that Sniper Brereton told him to do so, but he obviously can't take it when it's dished out in return. Get a life Brown & go play Netball!

• Posted by: Loser Brown on August 30, 2009 10:27 AM

There are a lot of hypocrites out there at the moment. No one went around calling Buddy Franklin a sniper after his hit on cousins. These are Campbell Brown's words from an Age article:

''It's for everyone to see … I was out there and I thought it was pretty similar (to Lance Franklin's clash with Ben Cousins but) the match review panel will look after that.''

If that's the case then Buddy Franklin should be condemned equally. No doubt Lloyd will be suspended, but there was no more intent in his actions than those of Franklin's. Did Richmond react in the way Hawthorn did to the Cousin's hit. Of course not. It's part of the game when decisions are made in a split section.

Last week I felt for Franklin in his situation. This week I'm disappointed by the response towards Lloyd.

And finally, Chance Bateman's attack on Lloyd later in the game is fair more deserving of condemnation. He should be rubbed out for minimum 4 weeks.

• Posted by: Karen on August 30, 2009 10:30 AM

Lloyd will be remembered as a 900 goal plus champion with numerous flags under his belt. Brown will be remembered as the bloke who drew the line in the sand and wasn't man enough to cross it. The only sniper in this scenario is the coward taking pot shots from the safety of the change rooms.

• Posted by: Big Bomber on August 30, 2009 10:37 AM

Go onto Youtube and look closely at the footage. Lloyd is clearly pushed into the contact from behind. Why anyone would give any respect to the words of Cambell Brown - who ran around the whole game throwing his fists and elbows around at other players heads - is beyond me. He is the greatest hypocrite in the game - and he should be charged for bringing the game into disrepute after all his talk about 'payback'. Disgusting

• Posted by: Mike on August 30, 2009 10:38 AM

Lloyd will be rubbed out and end his career being remebered for what he is - A SNIPER. Something Buddy Franklin definately isn't.

• Posted by: Wozzlegummich on August 30, 2009 10:40 AM

I suggest that from now onwards if ever Campbell Brown is lucky enough to get a possession in a game against the Bombers that the crown cry in unison - 'Boo Hoo'!

• Posted by: suck it up sooks on August 30, 2009 10:45 AM

Rule out the obvious essendon fans, and you see a pattern of observations.

Lloyd has always taken the cheap shot, despite the fact he has been a great lead and marker and kicker.

Deadly player, but how else can such a great be remembered so scornfully by all opposition teams.

We generally commend other opposition greats, despite them scoring against us.

Lloyd is the The Ultimate Velvet shorts, he takes the cheap hit.

• Posted by: Davo Ray on August 30, 2009 10:50 AM

For all the Hawks fans saying "Sewell was killing essendon out of the middle" - sorry, but he'd had a grand total of 2 clearances. 2! Wow! And 11 disposals. He's a god!

Mitchell, Hodge, Bateman, Lewis & Rioli were ALL playing better than Sewell in the first half. Were you even watching the game?!?!

Thankfully we now won't have to put up with all the Hawk crying every week. Until next season, of course.

• Posted by: John on August 30, 2009 10:53 AM

brown is not a thug he is just a hard player who saw one of his best mates get knocked out by a thug a hack and a no good footballer. and people seem to forget that brown was also knocked out by a gytless essondon player essendon didnt beat hwathorn they beat box hill we have that many players out its not funny and they werent even beating box hill untill they almost killed swelle knocked out brown and started punching hodge behind play. nobody can seriously say that what buddy did was the same because it wasnt buddy was bracing himse;f for the hit lloyd was trying to knock out a player but because he is wearing brown and gold he will get done. good on you brown and go the hawks we will be unstopable when we have a full side back

• Posted by: alex on August 30, 2009 10:58 AM

Campbell brown, Alastair clarkson and co. need to build a bridge and get over it. I think its appalling the way the Hawks fans and players have responded to lloyds bump. It is the same as the Buddy bump... neither bump appeared intentional, the player with the ball in both instances was running directly into the path of the defender, both Buddy and Lloyd kept their shoulders/elbows down, and despite this, theri was unfortunate head high contact..... Lloyd needs to be suspended if the AFL want to appear 'consistent', but neither player deserves to be suspended. The difference between the hawks and the bombers yesterday was that the bombers were able to maintain their composure and play 'footy' following the sewell/lloyd incidetn... the hawks simply lost their cool ,started playing for the man and not the ball, and it cost them the game. It appears that the Hawks just cant handle being beaten by their old rival!!!

• Posted by: Leonie on August 30, 2009 11:04 AM

Does a sniper play the man and not the ball? Was Jeff Sarau a sniper when he played for St Kilda?

• Posted by: Vai Tibi on August 30, 2009 11:04 AM

Yes, I guess Miss Lloyd's statistics after the incident kind of sum up the type of player she actually is....a girl....maybe a stint on Australia's Next Top Model is in order?

• Posted by: Dean on August 30, 2009 11:05 AM

Lyoyd is known as the velvet sledge hammer, he is a girl. There is a big difference betwwen Franklins and lyoyd's incident and the tribunal will show that, Essendon are crap we had 12 premiership players out and you only just won. Adelaide oner there bombers will get pumped. Lyoyd has always been a front runner and always will. Never puts he's head over the ball when it's he's turn.

• Posted by: Chris on August 30, 2009 11:05 AM

Lloyd came off the square intent on bumping a Hawk with devastating effect and he succeeded. He has a habit of putting players away.

He should, on current rules, be given a three match suspension for deliberate contact, high and dangerous.

He should also retire as he has proven that the game has passed him.

Then again no-one wants to talk about Paddy Ryder's fist to Hodge's jaw which should see him outed too.

• Posted by: Jim Cormack on August 30, 2009 11:06 AM

Thank God, is all I can say. I thought the game was going soft. Good on you Campbell Brown, you stood up. Lloyd did what he had to do to change the flow of the game. Hawthorn should have displayed that level of tenacity 4 - 5 weeks ago instead of hoping for the plants to align. Jeff come back to lead the Liberals and good to hear Mr Overland dishing it out. Go Hawks.

• Posted by: Nick P on August 30, 2009 11:09 AM

Essendon fans - you know very well when we come to play with a full side, you are and have been our whipping boys for the past few years now. But congrats on beating the Box Hill Hawks by 17 points after being flogged for most of the day by a second rate side. Congrats.

Lloyds hit was intentional, it was illegal and it was cowardly.

Buddy's hit on Cousins you cannot even compare. His arms was down, he had 0.4 seconds to react and no umpire even awarded a free kick to Cousins let alone reported Buddy.

Lloyd was reported instantly because anyone with a brain will see his sole aim was to tae out Sewell. Sewell was the leading clearance getter and BOG at the time. Coincidence?

I think not.

Can't wait until Adelaide whip you into humiliation next week.

• Posted by: Sammer on August 30, 2009 11:10 AM

franklins was incidental. lloyds was premeditated. lloyd is a dog and deserves to be treated like one.

• Posted by: shep on August 30, 2009 11:12 AM

Mitchell, Hodge, Brown, Rioli, Lewis, Bateman, Brown, Birchall, Renouf, Osborne are the "Box Hill Hawks"?!?! Give me a break.

And this from the team that got flogged by St Kilda's reserves a few weeks ago! No more excuses Hawks.

• Posted by: Tim on August 30, 2009 11:12 AM

To people telling bombers fans to
'pull their heads in'... I say this....Noone denies the Hawks have had a horror run with injury - had they not - they would have cemented their finals spot weeks ago. But thats footy! There was still 11 grand final players on that ground yesterday... and essendon had just 5 men on the ground that have ever played a finals game - in 2004!!!! If the Bombers are as bad as you all think they are, then the hawks, even with half their side out, should still have got up and won. GET OVER IT!!!!

• Posted by: Laughin at the hawks.... on August 30, 2009 11:13 AM

Miserable whinging hawks supporters. The hawks should go back to where they below, tasmania and play in the tasmanian football league - take all their supporters including ex prems with em. It may be a long way to Adelaide but you aint going there...

• Posted by: Paul D on August 30, 2009 11:14 AM

There was nothing untoward in what happened. Even a drop kick like Brown will admit that after he settles down and takes a good look.
Lloyd is a ball player, the collision was unavoidable.

• Posted by: Roger on August 30, 2009 11:14 AM

Just hope Lloyd doesn't squib it and retire. Also hope the 2010 draw doesn't see The Hawks play Essendon before round 6 (he should get 6 weeks), as we supporters of all the other teams want to see Lloyd running around scared on the ground as usual.

• Posted by: Ian on August 30, 2009 11:16 AM

I dont know if lloyd's a sniper, but he is definitely a wanker....

• Posted by: darryl_tj on August 30, 2009 11:17 AM

This is hilarious - you all take yourselves so seriously.
Thanks to you, I have been convinced that Buddy Franklin is a gutless fairy and Lloyd must be the garden gnome built like a brick shithouse whose goal-kicking record is an urban myth.
I don't know who was funnier to watch -little Brownie or Kennett.
Nevertheless I am sorry for Sewell that he happened to be in the wrong place - that would have hurt, - when he woke up!

• Posted by: Christopher on August 30, 2009 11:20 AM

Only one way to rid the game of thugs like Lloyd and that's to send them off, if Lloyd new he'd be sent off and the Dons would be a man down for the rest of the game, I bet he would of thought twice before going for the man.

• Posted by: zeek on August 30, 2009 11:25 AM

the pathetic self serving comments from Bombers fans are patently ridiculous.
Llyod hit someone who had his head over the ball, not running with the ball trying to sell candy like cousins. To compare Buddies unfortunate situation with Llyods premeditated, callous and cowardly attack shows the sincerity only a "Fan" could muster. Lloyd has always been a sniper and the banning of his favourite weapon the arm guard is proof.The media spin "push" conspiracy theory holds about as much weight as a bucket with a hole in it. Then the Bombers have never been an honest club.

• Posted by: themarkedman72 on August 30, 2009 11:26 AM

The Bombers needed a spark and shake-up at the start of the second half. Lloyd got fired up and charged at the ball, not keen to let anyone stand in his way. In a split second there was an unfortunate collision which the tribunal will take a good look at. A melee ensued. Afterwards, with the game still heavily in the Hawks favour and there to be played, the Dons picked up, played way better and won the final spot in the finals, a testament to their desire, aggression and skill.

Is there anything else that needs to be said?

• Posted by: Jeremy on August 30, 2009 11:29 AM

Newsflash! Hawthorns new sponsors for next year - kleenex for all the blub blub and berocca for the premiership hangover. Sour grapes after a paltry season, they don't deserve to be playing finals footy. Oh and Jeff Kennetts new causes, the society for short memories and hypocrits anonymous. You're only angry at yourselves hawkers.

• Posted by: Mick on August 30, 2009 11:29 AM

Watch the footage prior to the contact.
Lloyd was pushed by his Hawthorn opponent increasing Lloyds momentum before the contact.
I am NOT an Essenden fan, just think the Hawthorn player who pushed Lloyd should speak up to his team mates.

• Posted by: Fair Go on August 30, 2009 11:32 AM

What Bateman and Brown did was wrong, will result in suspensions and fines for them both. But neither excuses what Lloyd did.

I was disgusted that he was smirking about it after the game too. And how dare Channel 10 give him a lame excuse like he was pushed in the back - Shoenmakers must have the strongest two fingers in the world to be able to push him in the back with an already outstretched arm slightly off to the side. A joke.
LLoyd got one, maybe two more kicks for the game. The only thing keeping him inside the ground was the fence.
Previous thugs from both sides doesn't make this one right either.
Lloyd is a great set shot for goal, and a good lead up forward. He is a sniper though, a dirty player and plays for free kicks should be embarrassing. He got rid of the heart of Essendon when he got rid of players that had courage, boasted about it in the media, and then was crucial in the sacking of Sheedy.
Hird, a true champion, will return to the club in an official capacity once Lloyd leaves. Hopefully Lloyd has saved a tonne of money from his football, because how the hell will he survive on personality or football smarts after his career is over?

• Posted by: Rocksteady on August 30, 2009 11:35 AM

It looked to me that both players were just running to the ball and Lloyd came out on top. Hawthorn lost because they are a lesser team, not because of one 'contest'. Should all players wear sumo suits so that we can finally transform this game into the non-contact sport it is turning into?

• Posted by: Hawthorn Supporters are Sore Losers on August 30, 2009 11:41 AM

Unfortunate - yes. Deliberate - debatable. As a supporter of neither club I have no vested interest in the outcome either way.

I will say one though - Campbell Brown should be charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his threat after the match. If the AFL wants to stamp out thuggery in the game then they have to start with stupid public threats of retaliation like Brown's. There was no excuse for it. I reckon $20,000 should make him think twice next time he wants to shoot his mouth off. Plus it was a bit rich coming from the king of the cheap shot. If they kept stats on cheap shots, Brown would have been the runaway winner for the past umpteen seasons.

• Posted by: Daz on August 30, 2009 11:43 AM

Sniper?? Brown should talk, he snipes off the ball all the time and comes from a family of snipers. Get a life Brown and go and play netaball.

• Posted by: CJ on August 30, 2009 11:44 AM

RE 'A closer inspection of the actual clash with Sewell shows Lloyd hurtling into him after he was pushed from behind' Costa J K on August 30, 2009 8:58 AM

You are kidding yourself! Lloyd went into the contest with the intention to take out the man. End of story.

• Posted by: David Morrino on August 30, 2009 11:44 AM

That was a disgusting hit on Sewell yesterday. Lloyd has done this before - remember when he had that arm brace? And what he did to Thurgood?
I hope he gets at least 4 and that the Crows thrash Essendon next week, without their precious Lloydy and Ryder amongst the other reports!

• Posted by: Carlton Supporter on August 30, 2009 11:45 AM

Lloyd has been doing it for years. Gutless sniper is about right. Have a look at his suspension record and it tells half the story of the cheap shots... the other half is those he missed. Not man enough to stay on the ground... ran like Leigh Matthews did when the troops came after him.

• Posted by: Pado on August 30, 2009 11:48 AM

Can Hawthorn supporters, players and that goofball president of theirs spell 'irony'? (Probably not). Now we have to sit trough another week of Kennett banging on, and on, and on...

Lloyd will be remembered as a champ. Brown will not be remembered at all. Footy is a contact sport, lets get on with it and suspend unduly rough and dangerous play... it happens. Next....

• Posted by: Contact sport on August 30, 2009 11:54 AM

Hawks were concentrating and winning the game easily until this event happened. The Hawks reacted angrily to the event and for the next 10 minutes were focussed on their anger and not playing football. The Hawks would be better looking at their reaction to the bump. This caused them to loose the game. In my opinion, the bump was not clearly deliberate.

• Posted by: davey on August 30, 2009 11:55 AM

As an impartial Blues supporter and hater of both clubs I thought Hawthorn disgraced themselves yesterday. They had the chance to show they werent just bullies who could dish it out. They failed. Clarkson got some unsociable footy and whinged, Brown also whinged and looked foolish and copped his right whack. The ledger still isn't square for all he's dished out. And let's remember the sniper coach Clarkson who basically ended Ian Aitken's career with a king hit from behind on a young player in the London game in late eighties. Just schoolyard bullies who cant handle someone standing up to them. Good one Dons.

• Posted by: Mike Jackson on August 30, 2009 11:55 AM

Lucky to win a flag,you idiot!They were in the top two all last year,as for Lloyd-GAME OVER!
I personally dont agree with the rule as it stands and what happened years ago is irrelavant.
The "Velvet Sledge Hammer" has played his last game and Essendon will get hammered by the Crows!
hahaha.

• Posted by: Colin Hawka on August 30, 2009 11:56 AM

From the TV footy footage, it looks like accidental contact occurred, but on the closer look, there was a possibility Lloyd was also going after Sewel to cut him out of the game. Until that time, Hawthorn had been winning the 'inside ball' that denied Essendon the fast moving break from the packs they have been used to. If this was indeed the case, what Lloyd did was unprofessional and unethical. To keep it consistent with Buddy's penalty last week, Lloyd should be banned for at least 1 week. As for the final match result, Essendon deserved to win because Hawthorn could not keep up in the last quarter. Triumph against adversity has been Hawthorn's trademark, but they did not fulfil that obligation yesterday..

• Posted by: OrdinaryAussie on August 30, 2009 11:57 AM

Watch the video before comments please. Ryan Schoeamker pushed lloyd, lloyd was falling trying to stop and collided, not steaming in an cleaning up sewell like most of comments would have ou believe.

Brown should take a look at some of his handy work before commenting on others...

As for the finals, Hawks havebeen undeserving all year who in the top 8 have they beaten this year?

At least the bombers have beaten Collingwood, Carlton (twice), St Kilda, Brisbane (draw) and came close with the bulldogs.

Let the tribunal decide on Lloyd, its their job not ours.

• Posted by: Michael on August 30, 2009 11:58 AM

I have seen Lloyd go for the man a few times over the years. He joins a long list of forwards who tried to take out opposition defenders in particular - "Saint" Tony Lockett, Doug Wade, Lee Matthews when he played forward, etc. I barrack for neither Essendon or Hawthorn.

• Posted by: Bob on August 30, 2009 12:02 PM

Knights has transformed Essendon into team of overperformers playing exciting football. Lloyd is a relic from a better forgotten era of Sheedy thuggery and underperformance.

• Posted by: Mark on August 30, 2009 12:03 PM

Started throwing up when I read some of the comments about Lloyd here. He's a champion... ha ha ha one of the funniest things I have ever heard. What was even funnier was how quickly he ran away when the fight started and how he ran away from every contest that he needed to commit himself to after that. He's got big muscles but has a heart the size of an ant. One of the biggest sniping squibs the game has seen and deservedly will end his career under suspension. Says a lot about Essendon that they have this cheap shot merchant as their captain.

• Posted by: Jack Sparrow on August 30, 2009 12:05 PM

There Was Two Snipers out there Playing LLYOD, And Umpire Scott Mclaren , Hope they Both Get Rubbed out, One thing we have over Essendon we have the Flag they dont, and the Crows will Make it a Cricket Score Next week , what a joke that will be.I can here it Now LYYOD rubbed out thats why they didnt win, wake up Bomers Fans u r only there to Make up Numbers.

• Posted by: john D on August 30, 2009 12:08 PM

If you look at the front on vision with Lloyd running towards the camera you see him sight Sewell. At this point he clearly had the option to tackle instead Lloyd deliberatley lined up Sewell, propelled himself (look at the side on vision)forward took his eye off the player with the ball and recklessly used his shoulder to clean up Sewell.

Buddy on the other hand tried to avoid the head contact by tucking in his shoulder. No comparison.

Lloyd took out Sewel and won them the game.

He should go for 4 weeks. And if he decides to retire the penalty should be converted to a massive cash penalty.

• Posted by: Big Fella on August 30, 2009 12:09 PM

I hope Llyod never plays again. He dives for free kicks and whacks blokes every week and says it's an accident. You can only have so many accidents. LLody had an option to go for the ball, not hit him or to get in lower. chose to hit Sewell. AFL will be better when he leaves the game.

• Posted by: Gavin on August 30, 2009 12:14 PM

HFC = Hypocritical Football Club. And Campell Brown, I am sure Llyod is shaking in his boots at you coming and slapping him. Brown = biggest knob in the AFL

• Posted by: Matt on August 30, 2009 12:17 PM

I'm no Lloyd fan, but his act was little compared to Essendon's No. 30 who held the Hawk player up momentarily, then dropped him, like a hot potato, from above hip height. That, if I'm not mistaken, is potentially capable of maiming a person, or even killing them. Heads are not designed to be dropped from 1 to 1.5 metres.

• Posted by: Rude One on August 30, 2009 12:20 PM

Essendon are a talentless pack of thugs.

• Posted by: Stephen Smith on August 30, 2009 12:20 PM

Good on Browny for finally putting it out on public domain, i.e. Lloyd is a gutless sniper and has been his whole career... big difference with the Buddy bump as Cuz turned into him, as opposed to Lloyd lining him Sewell up!
With the way the Hawks season has panned out, they don't deserve to be in the finals in any event, however the Bombers will get a deserved flogging next week and will only be playing an extra game and without without Lloyd for about 6 weeks, Ryder for about 4 weeks and Atkinson for 2!

• Posted by: BillyBob of Toorak on August 30, 2009 12:22 PM

lloydy's bump was legitimate, he was clearly going for the ball.lloyd is certainly not a sniper,although campbell brown is. He is a shocker of a player. Has he ever won a medal?? NO. LLOYD HAS. Get over yourself campbell, you are one of the biggest snipers in the game.LLOYD ISNT. Hes kicked like 900 something goals.Campbell has done nothing cause he is useless.

• Posted by: max on August 30, 2009 12:24 PM

They sook when they get suspended. They sook when they get hit. Hypocrite Hawks are no surprise with Boof-head at the helm turning tricks - still sooking over being bumped by Bracksy! Bugger off spoilt, snotty nosed, eastern suburbs rich-kids!

• Posted by: Tim Themi on August 30, 2009 12:24 PM

The fact is this. Playing hard rough footy is good. Hawthorn are known for playing this way. But what Essendon did is play dirty and that's cowardly. They are facing AT LEAST 3 reports which clearly shows they didnt win by playing GOOD footy. They won crossing the line. As for what Lloyd did, it's not the same as Buddy's. Lloyd moves INTO sewell's face with his shoulder - doesnt brace for impact. I have nothing against Lloyd - he is a decent player. But that definately was not a 'bump'.

• Posted by: MBB on August 30, 2009 12:24 PM

Well I have seen it all. Whingeing big girl Alisaaaaairrrr, thug Campbell Brown (get a real name you big girl) complaining about a hit on another thug and the prancing dancing free-for-me buddy flower girl crying I was protecting myself. Sounds all like sour grapes by a team of thugs who used to give each other kisses. OMG what next some rushed behinds

• Posted by: Denis on August 30, 2009 12:25 PM

I've only supported Hawthorn for 2 year now (as a result of moving to a town with a football team for the first time) so maybe I'm missing out on the one eyed stuff.

I thought Buddy deserved his suspension and I am confident that Mr. Lloyd will receive a similar penalty for a similarly vile and unsportsmanlike action.

• Posted by: Jake on August 30, 2009 12:28 PM

The poor old Hawks got bashed up by the Bombers - Sewell, Hodge (3 times), Renouf et al - they all copped it.

Brown was doing so much yabbering I'm surprised he had any energy left to play footy. He had his chance to square up, but preferred to whinge instead - actions speak louder than words.

• Posted by: Steve G on August 30, 2009 12:29 PM

The "Velvet Sledgehammer" has a history of cheap shots & the AFL has had a history of letting him off as well!

Will Ryder get the same "match review" as Rance got last week?

Brown's comments were silly - but those of you questioning his courage - open your eyes.(That must have been why "Sheed's" wanted him at Bomberland couple of years ago?)

ps: Did Scott find Darren's "Golden Whistle" yesterday? He was certainly amoungst the Bomber's best yesterday!

• Posted by: Geoff on August 30, 2009 12:29 PM

Wah Wah Wah, a bit of the pot calling the kettle black from Campbell Brown and the Hawthorn FC.

If your so hard and wanted revenge Campbell why didn't you do something when you went back on, oh thats right you did, you slapped your hands together a couple of times on the boundary line and almost caused Angus Monfries to cry with laughter when you slapped him on the arm
.
Only snipers out there were you Hodge and Bateman, shame NLM didn't break your jaw AGAIN!! Hahaha Bye Bye Dawks

• Posted by: Aaron on August 30, 2009 12:31 PM

'And finally, Chance Bateman's attack on Lloyd later in the game is fair more deserving of condemnation. He should be rubbed out for minimum 4 weeks.
Posted by: Karen on August 30, 2009 10:30 AM'

What sort of moron are you Karen.

One of the differences is powderpuff Lloyd was looking at Batemen when he was hit, Sewell had his head over the ball and was not looking.

Had Sewell been looking at him, powderpuff Lloyd would have pulled out because he only hits when people aren't looking. Watch him and you will see that's his style.

Other thing is Lloyd is twice the size of Bateman. Lloyd doesn't have the spine to pick on anyone remotely his size, Bateman does because he has a heart, something Lloyd doesn't have.

Bateman deserves applause from the whole football community for his hit, whilst Lloyd deserves to end his career under a 6 week suspension for just another Bomber gutless hit.

• Posted by: Will Turner on August 30, 2009 12:33 PM

Hmmmmm, how the attitudes of Hawks supporters have changed in 1 week! Buddy deserved to be let off for what he did (and I agree) yet Matthew Lloyd is a sniper who deserves to have his career ended by an incident that isn't much different. Tsk Tsk. Might pay to remember some of the low acts committed by Dermie, Dipper, Scott, Matthews etc etc etc back when the Hawks were flying high. Off your high horses now Hawkers. You've been found out this year and when the tears dry I'm sure everything will be ok.

• Posted by: Roger Dodger on August 30, 2009 12:35 PM

You get back what you were given during last year GF. Well done Dons!

• Posted by: James Kally on August 30, 2009 12:39 PM

Lloyd's choice to deliberately try and take out a key Hawk midfielder was what won Essendon the game. I would suspect it was a coaching decision. The Hawks were all over an aging and slow Essendon and had the game in the bag even with one player down, but after that hit the wind was knocked out of Hawthorn and they eventually ran out of puff. It was disappointing to see such a match be decided not by skill, and determination, but by thuggery, but thuggery is a part of the game. If the Hawks had a big man in the side who ran through Stanton and Ryder taking ending them on the bench it would have been different, but the Hawks didn't have the man power. Don's found a weakness and went for it. They won dirty but sometimes that's the only way for a side to win.

• Posted by: Dave on August 30, 2009 12:40 PM

Hawthorn seems to be a club without grace or sportsmanship of late.

It is a club built on aggression,
from players to coach to president.

Loudmouth, ungracious coach and bully-boy players.

Like all bullies, they cry foul when they get some of their own medicine and for Campbell Brown, of all people, it smacks of double standards.

Go away and lick your wounds in private you sooky-sooky Hawthorn bullies.

• Posted by: ApplesHK on August 30, 2009 12:42 PM

Typical in the nature of the Bombers, Cowardly playing style.

Can't outplay us so took our players out. Lloyds time will come. Time is near for Harry High Pants!

I look forward to seeing the Bombers bail out in their next game as they clearly have not got the skills to compete in a finals clash.

• Posted by: dave on August 30, 2009 12:46 PM

There is one key difference between the Buddy bump and the Lloyd bump; Sewell had his head over the ball. This rule was put in place to protect the player with his head over the ball and Lloyd intended to go in hard and is responsible for the damage done (I believe Sewell will need surgery). It is unfortunate that the way the law was written means that any other bump (fair or not) will be viewed in the same light. Enjoy the holiday Lloyd, maybe you should just book in your lap of honor at AAMI next week.

• Posted by: James on August 30, 2009 12:46 PM

If you want to know about football courage, go back to prelim final '96 - Lloyd was on the operating table before the game was finished. He was still in his teens! Lloyd gets scragged at every marking contest all year and never sooks. Campbell Brown is as gutless as they come.

• Posted by: Andy on August 30, 2009 12:47 PM

Campbell Brown is a total hypocrite & complete idiot!! He is clearly advocating premeditated violence against a player from another team. He should be made to apologize. The bump was what happens sometimes on a football field. I think the (chicken)hawks are weak losers.

• Posted by: Greg on August 30, 2009 12:49 PM

If I played for a team that won the premiership one year and couldn't even make the finals the next year...I'd want to be keeping a low profile...
How embarrassing for you Campbell Brown.

• Posted by: mel on August 30, 2009 12:49 PM

Jeez, no wonder the game is turning into soccer.Just reading some of these comments generally shows that the football watching public have turned into whiney whinging bitches.
It's a contact sport! big hits will happen and i hope they continue.Lloydy will get 4 weeks,but for F@#ks sake, harden up you lot.

• Posted by: Kaza on August 30, 2009 12:52 PM

I believe Lloyd was pushed by Shoenmakers into the pack and Lloyd avoided a full collision with Sewell by turning his body to avoid a full impact collision. What a scenario could develop with Lloyd getting off a charge and Brown being made to publicly retract his statement on radio last night!

• Posted by: Ian Simpson on August 30, 2009 12:53 PM

The Hawks, and in particular Campbell Brown would know a fair few things about sniping, in fact they are one of the only teams that still does it to this day (and did it yesterday). These days, Lloyd's bump is worthy of a suspension, but the Hawks who so proudly play unsociable football and are now squealing after being beaten at their own game need to take a good look at themselves. Their season was appalling, having started so poorly and then losing 5 out of their last 6, there is no way they should have even had a sniff at finals. It must hurt to know that you're not good enough.

• Posted by: James on August 30, 2009 12:55 PM

perfect ended for Lloyd
suspended into retirement
exactly the way he should be remembered
for his thuggery and not for football skills, cause he has none

• Posted by: tom on August 30, 2009 12:58 PM

Lloyd was pushed into Sewell by Hawthorn's number 25. It's clear cut on the video. Brown can talk - he's a gutless whiner and an accomplished sniper himself. Most of the Hawthorn team acted like men after the game, much to the credit, especially Sewell. Clarkson and Brown are top class sooks.

• Posted by: Phil Maguire on August 30, 2009 1:01 PM

Anyone who compares Buddy's hit to Lloyds is either completely biased or extremely uneducated in the game of AFL football. I'm a hawks fan and I would have preferred if Clarko and Brown kept their mouths shut. But it is there for all to see, only one player has his eyes on the football and his hands on it. It was a very weak act just as weak as the act on thurgood when lloyd had his arm in a cast and fractured his face. you can't blame hawks supporters for being irate. That kind of play was once acceptable, but not in the modern game. say what you like but the tribunal will decide that it was a weak act deserving of at least 4 weeks.

• Posted by: tim on August 30, 2009 1:01 PM

Yeah, please play on another season Matty Lloyd - and be prepared to TAKE the same as you are prepared to dish out. What you did was a deliberate act, no matter what angle you look at it from. A great example for our children to follow (Not!).

• Posted by: Bomber on August 30, 2009 1:03 PM

Lloyd is a sniper.

• Posted by: R on August 30, 2009 1:05 PM

If Brown thinks Lloyd is a 'sniper', I'd hate to imagine what he must think of his own father.

• Posted by: Brian of Melbourne on August 30, 2009 1:06 PM

Im pretty sure Lloyd was lining up Bateman too! The 2nd smallest player on the ground. The act of a sniper? Of course.

• Posted by: Will on August 30, 2009 1:09 PM

Lloyd follows a long tradition of Essendon captains who end their careers as washed-up thugs. He was a great player early in his career until he turned into a squib playing for frees. His captaincy has been a disaster for his career and for the underachieving team he pretends to lead. Give it away Lloyd, you've been exposed for what you are. A washed-up squib.

• Posted by: Tiger Dirk on August 30, 2009 1:10 PM

The Hawks dish it out but squeal like girls when they receive a bit back.

Campbell Brown lacks integrity and is a sniper of the highest order. The gall to pass judgement on Lloyd is laughable. The AFL need to sanction this loose cannon for his inflammatory schoolboy crap.

Round 19

"Contact between Hawthorn’s Campbell Brown and St Kilda’s Stephen Milne from the third quarter of Saturday’s match was assessed. The panel said that Brown fell forward after attempting to spoil the ball and did not drive his knee into the St Kilda player. No further action was taken as the impact to Milne’s legs was below that required to consider a reportable offence."

• Posted by: Rupert on August 30, 2009 1:11 PM

I can't believe what Campbell Brown is ayaing. I remember him playing in the junior leagues and he just went around hitting everyone behind the play and nothing much has changed with him. Matthew Lloyd is a true champion and his bump on Sewell was fair and nothing like the Franklin incident as Franklin has his elbow raised.
There is nothing like moaning Hawthorn supporters after a pretend team tried to get into the finals this year.
The AFL should take Hawthorn and Campbell Brown to the Tribunal for such remarks.

• Posted by: Allan on August 30, 2009 1:12 PM

There is a litany of big hits on both sides between these teams before, this is football and quite frankly its entertaining. The hyposcrosy of Campbell Brown is another issue. Either its his brains reaction to pre-match orange juice or adrenalin, that this guy is a white line nutter. Look at his record and he calls M. Lloyd a sniper. Brownie...get some counselling son.

• Posted by: Gary Lowe on August 30, 2009 1:12 PM

Mathew Lloyd has form. he did not get the name the "Velvet Sledgehammer" for nothing.

However, most of the writers miss the point. We would not be having this discussion if the AFL had not changed the rules mid season.

I don't agree with the rule change. The bump is gone, just like the flick pass. It is an illegal move. The AFL was quite clear during the week on the consequences of "going the bump".

It will be interesting to see if Detetriou and the others at AFL headquarters stand by their convictions and strong statements during the week. If so it is clear cut. Mathew Lloyd should get at least two weeks.

The game is being sanitised so that it does not resemble the once proud game we had. A physical contest.

On the other hand the AFL should schedule the Hawks and Bombers for round one at the MCG. 90,000 plus and a finals like atmosphere. But then again we are talking about the AFL so we can expect Hawthorn Freo at Subiaco and no Essendon v Hawthorn until round 17 at Docklands.

I await Monday's verdict and next years re match

• Posted by: Bill on August 30, 2009 1:13 PM

Essendon don't belong or deserve to be in the finals. Their run will be over by this time next week!! Beating a team that had most of its key players out is not a victory - nor something to be proud about. Lloyd could have avoided the bump if he had wanted too. Essendon are not in the finals because of their skill!! If I was an Essendon player I would be ashamed of yesterday's game - it's not how you win but how you play the game that counts and wiping out players so you can win is nothing to be proud of.

• Posted by: Jo on August 30, 2009 1:16 PM

Historical references and 'you should talk what about player x' type sledges are childish and irrelevant. Lloyd left the line and line up the man. If his mind was on the ball, why weren't his hands extended trying to get it? Franklin can consider himself unlucky. His involved a split second determination to bumb and not tackle. Lloyd's act was directed at the man and nothing else. It was cowardly and unnecessary and for a bloke who's spent half his career falling forward to earn free kicks I suspect it's probably karmic to see that he will be remembered for a blight rather than his impressive longevity. Idiot.

• Posted by: Matt on August 30, 2009 1:16 PM

Neither an Essendon or Hawthorn supporter. Only saw the incident on TV so unable to comment re what happended out of camera shot, however:

1. If being 22 pts down I would have been disappointed if one of my players wasn't steaming into the contest rather than hanging back
2. Only Llyod will truly know if he was attacking the ball or the man. If the man then he deserves what he gets.
3. At that speed any push in the back may have amplified the collision
4. If intention is the benchmark, then surely Chance Bateman running at Llyod, leaving the ground with the sole intention of "coathanging" Llyod (behnd play) is even more abhorrent.
5. The AFL needs to do something about the "jumper" punch,seemingly by all teams with impunity especially when forearms are used as these often the sparks to more ugly incidents

• Posted by: Jason on August 30, 2009 1:20 PM

Get it right Hawks fans. Matthew Lloyd was off balance having been pushed in the back by a Hawthorn player when he didn't even have the ball. Number 25 for Hawthorn caused the clash and the Hawks know it.

• Posted by: Cait on August 30, 2009 1:20 PM

Lloyd will be remembered as a now good low down thug

• Posted by: frank on August 30, 2009 1:20 PM

Lets get a little perspective here people. To call the bump by Lloyd "the same" or "no worse" than Buddy's is just plain ridiculous. Although I do think buddy should have laid a tackle on cousins, he shouldn’t have been rubbed out. I know the rules stated that he had to be rubbed out but I think a little bit of common sense should have prevailed.
One the other hand, after watching Aussie Rules Football for almost 30 years now, it was clear as daylight that Matty Lloyd lined up Sewell and cleaned him up, a classic 80’s early 90’s knock down. Sniper’ed him? Well I don’t think so and Lloyd isn’t a sniper by any stretch of the imagination, but I can understand Campbell Brown’s reaction….
Lets stop calling Buddy and Lloyds hits “the same” because they weren’t and never will be.

• Posted by: ed on August 30, 2009 1:21 PM

Lloyd will be remembered as a no good low down thug

• Posted by: frank on August 30, 2009 1:21 PM

Hawthorn are hypocrites. After all their carrying on about Franklin last week and trying to pin the blame on Cousins they can't handle it this week. They're ready to dish it out but not prepared to take it. As for so called "hard man" Campbell Brown - what a sook, he's the worst joke in the AFL. Enjoy September Hawks!

• Posted by: David on August 30, 2009 1:22 PM

the real instigator here is knights, the instructions at half time would have been, "take out, sewell,rioli or mitchell or we lose" lloyd just happened to be the first to act, he contributed nothing else to the game so it was a good result for essendon,lets hope the other clubs take note as it was great to see someone getting smashed like the good old days of footy.well coached!

• Posted by: neil on August 30, 2009 1:23 PM

Talk about snipers.

Wow.

To all of the sore losers using an internet page to express their anger at Lloyd - I would love to see you given the chance to say this to his face. I'm fairly certain you would run away.

It's a game. Sometimes these things happen. That's why the tribunal exists. It worked for Buddy, now it will work for Lloyd. Relax.

Hawthorn lost because a) they had some injuries and suspensions, and b) very simply, Essendon were the better team on the day.

Okay I'm off to bathe in the Hawks' tears and wash myself in their sadness.

Yeah.

• Posted by: Jonas Mcguire on August 30, 2009 1:25 PM

Its a shame buddy got a couple of weeks for a fair bump and its a shame Lloydy will probably get the same.

Last I remember, its a game of football, not basketball..

Shame on Browny's comments, seems to have such a short memory.

Maybe the Hawkers should go back to being called the Mayblooms, if there going to use a soft excuse like a player going down for the loss of the game.

• Posted by: Jimmy on August 30, 2009 1:25 PM

Brereton taking out Van Der Haar, Dipper's elbow in Walsh's face & the line in the sand game are but a few examples of Hawthorn's snipping. Campbell Brown's childish rant on Triple M ranks as the Hawks biggest snip. What a sook.

• Posted by: Peter on August 30, 2009 1:27 PM

Dons playing finals, hawks playing with themselvs. catch.

• Posted by: bomber on August 30, 2009 1:29 PM

this is pathetic...

sure, what lloyd did may have been stupid/reckless... and maybe over the top... but really... 8 weeks?

grow a pair boys and girls! you disgust me. As a strong follower of footy and as a growing young man, this sort of crap, this 'oh he's a sniper', 'he's a cheap shot', 'he deserves 8 weeks', it's all crap...

just remind me how many week barry hall got for slugging a guy?!?! only 7 wasn't it?

so how can lloyd deserve 8, for bumping a guy while going for the ball, however cheap it may be.
I agree with a number of sensible people who have said let the tribunal do their job, because they're undoubtedly alot smarter than a number of you!

As far as campbell brown calling Lloyd a sniper, what a load of crap!

AFL is a rough game... live with it... if someone plays a bit rougher than the others, tough luck. Grow a pair and get on with the game, like everybody else does

It's all very well to say you go for neither hawks or essendon, but of course you're gonna say lloyd is rubbish and a sniper if you go for collingwood/carlton or any other team who may have been beaten by lloyds 8 goals a game!

i repeat, grow a pair, get over it, and get out of your glass houses before throwing stones at others!

• Posted by: james on August 30, 2009 1:33 PM

Brown needs to pull his head in.

He typifies what everyone hates about Hawthorn. They pride themselves on playing 'un-sociable' football but cry foul when they are on the receiving end.

Hawthorn supporters are just as bad. Whine all week that Buddy didnt deserve to be outed but when they are on the receiving end of a similar incident (Although a different outcome), and Lloyd is labelled a sniper and cost them the game.

• Posted by: Matt on August 30, 2009 1:35 PM

Its not the first time Lloyd has knocked out Sewell. Go back to the end of 2005 when he did it the first time. Also, in the first meeting of 2005 he broke THurgood's cheekbone, and in a practice match in 2007 he elbowed McGlynn. McGlynn couldn't play for three weeks because the bleeding didnt stop. I would say his a sniper and I agree with Cambell Brown. He is on video this time and he will get what's coming to him.

• Posted by: lach on August 30, 2009 1:36 PM

Maybe the Hawks could explain the need for hands in the back which was intentional rather than being hypocrits after Buddy's very public appeal.You won't see the Bombers appealing if Lloyd cops it for a non-intentional lesser hit than buddy's. Sour grapes?

• Posted by: Grant on August 30, 2009 1:42 PM

I'm a Bomber fan-if Franklin's bump was suspendable, I'm afraid so is Lloydy's-absurd but true. However, Campbell Brown (how well some of remember his father) is way out of line, as too are the selective memories of Hawks fans who list the 'tradition' of Essendon 'thugs'. Every team has had hard men...let me see...thugs? Dipper (84 GF elbow to Walsh's head); Matthews,L (charged for assault on N Bruns of GFC); Brereton's hit on Van De Haar playing the ball at Waverley '91; Vandenberg's ridiculous response to Brereton's 'line in the sand'. When were these Llod critics born? Don't kid yourselves, the Hawks have as long a 'tradition' as anyone...hypocritical in the least.

• Posted by: Matt on August 30, 2009 1:49 PM

If you look closely at the TV footage you will see that Sewell was in the process of straightening up his body when contact was made. Mathew Lloyd had a split second decision to make when attempting a front on bump. Had Sewell's body been vertical at the time of impact he most likely would not have been hit head high.

Unfortunately head contact was made and a 2 week penalty may follow. How many other times has Mathew hit players to the head? NONE.

Hawthorn should stop winging and crying that the "hit" inpacted their ability to win the game.The Dons had fitter players when it counted most.Often its a matter of good fortune.

• Posted by: joe on August 30, 2009 1:49 PM

All week we heard the argument that Buddy Franklin was up before the tribunal because he supposedly had the opportunity to tackle and in 'choosing' to bump he concussed Cousins.

Well following that outcome, NO ARGUMENT in the world can save Lloyd as he had an eternity to make a choice to tackle but still chose to bump Sewell and as a result KO'D him.

End of argument.

• Posted by: luke on August 30, 2009 1:50 PM

Yes, Lloyd is a sniper and should be suspended for what was an intentional head-high hit with no thoughts of where the ball was. This is typical of Lloyd - just like he always goes for the free kick when in a marking contest by hitting the ground, pretending being pushed in the back by his opponent(s). I agree with Andrew ... Lloyd is a thug.

• Posted by: Jo on August 30, 2009 1:52 PM

Clearly Lloyd did not intend to hit him, as he neither rotated or dropped his shoulder, he was wide open. Still, we need to protect the head, and so one week is right. It was less intentional than Buddy's, and truth is these people calling for longer somehow do not think Cousins has same rights as Sewell. Robert Walls should look in the mirror when he talks of thuggish behaviour.
Lloyd has sniped, taken easy shots at people - as an Ess fan I have observed it and not been happy about it, but it is borne out of frustration as a full forward getting hit all day. This has changed over last 2 years where he is far less petulant. Not sure what Brown's excuse is for his sniping or his gutless defense of Judd the eye gouger several years ago.
Funny how Monfries just laughed at Brownie after he slapped his shoulder - perhaps he is no longer seen as the tough guy he pretends to be, nobody is afraid of him anymore cause he knows he will get busted for sniping now.
Get over it Hawthorn, you blew it, so stop whining.

• Posted by: Mark O'Brien on August 30, 2009 1:53 PM

Clearly Lloyd did not intend to hit him, as he neither rotated or dropped his shoulder, he was wide open. Still, we need to protect the head, and so one week is right. It was less intentional than Buddy's, and truth is these people calling for longer somehow do not think Cousins has same rights as Sewell. Robert Walls should look in the mirror when he talks of thuggish behaviour.
Lloyd has sniped, taken easy shots at people - as an Ess fan I have observed it and not been happy about it, but it is borne out of frustration as a full forward getting hit all day. This has changed over last 2 years where he is far less petulant. Not sure what Brown's excuse is for his sniping or his gutless defense of Judd the eye gouger several years ago.
Funny how Monfries just laughed at Brownie after he slapped his shoulder - perhaps he is no longer seen as the tough guy he pretends to be, nobody is afraid of him anymore cause he knows he will get busted for sniping now.
Get over it Hawthorn, you blew it, so stop whining.

• Posted by: Mark O'Brien on August 30, 2009 1:53 PM

Hawthorn - you are pathetic, small and breathtakingly hypocritical. You are a club that has always taken pride in your history of thug players.

You lost because Essendon played with more poise and speed in the second half and your defence couldn't contain a first year player (Hurley = champion).

There is NO discernible difference between the Franklin and Lloyd incidents. So should Lloydy get rubbed out, maybe we should do a Hawthorn and appeal it to the United Nations and spend the rest of the week whinging like petulant schoolgirls.

Matthew Lloyd, you are 900+ goal champion and I look forward to you running out again next year and humiliating Hawthorn all over again.

Go Bombers!

• Posted by: Anthony Walker on August 30, 2009 1:58 PM

Chug, chug, chug on a can of harden up Hawthorn you bunch of whingeing squealers. Of course Lloyd will go but it doesn't change the scoreboard - it's a man's game after all. Lucky to beat the Catters last year as it was you soft hypocrites.

• Posted by: Go Crows on August 30, 2009 2:00 PM

Please Matthew, save your thuggery for the EDFL because that's where you'll be next year! Lloyd will get at least 3weeks for that deplorable act.. DISGRACEFUL!

• Posted by: Joe on August 30, 2009 2:02 PM

Campbell Brown's comments were out of line.

Though not nearly as out of line as Lloyd's actions.

Hawthorn has had some great players over the years, and many of those players were not only exceptional ball players, but also capable of using thuggery when "required". Matthews, DiPierdomenico and Brereton come immediately to mind. Ayres and Langford also, though not so regularly aggressive.

We are in a different age with different standards. The player with the ball is now, rightfully, protected.

Matthew Lloyd is a player who belongs in the bracket along with many of his own team's champions, and with many of those Hawks - a great ball player who has consistently stepped over the line through his career to take someone out for the benefit of his side.

It is a complete nonsense to suggest that Schoenmakers had anything to do with the impact.

Lloyd was playing terribly, and took out one of Hawthorn's main weapons, in order to try to get his team into the finals. The timing, the intent, the opportunity and the practised ability all came into play.

I suspect Matthew Knights will be relieved at not having to drop his captain for the finals - because that is where Lloyd's current contribution is... he is past it.

Lloyd must be penalised, just as anyone who takes players out ought to be penalised. Severely.

And Campbell Brown ought to do a little more with the ball than he does with his mouth.

• Posted by: Mr.Likeable on August 30, 2009 2:02 PM

Firstly I would like to say I am an Essendon supporter.

Ok the bump looks really bad, but HELLO! its a contact sport. What did Malthouse say a few years ago when the "hands in the back" rule came into play? I agree Lloyd will get a few weeks 2-3 weeks at max. I went to Nudgee College up in Brisbane, a premier rugby high school, as a boarder. And each time I had to defend AFL because they all thought it was soft. But its not! Looking at that bump thats what defines AFL. I got taught to go for the hard ball. And if you look at the video replay Brad's head made contact with the front of the shoulder, which is the soft part, not the side. Only the top 7 teams from this year deserve to be in the finals, the other 9 don't.

• Posted by: Herbert on August 30, 2009 2:03 PM

Go Bombers!!!
As far as I'm concerned, that picture of Matthew Lloyd and Brad Sewell says it all.
I was thinking to myself - Lloyd will go straight to Sewell and say the right thing. And he did. What place does Campbell Brown have getting involved, after Lloyd and Sewell have met and shaken hands?? None! What an embarrassment to the Hawthorn Football Club, running around threatening people like a street criminal.
I hope Brad Sewell tells Brown to let it go. The way Brown carried on was ridiculous for a kid, let alone a grown man.
I wonder if he would have been so obsessed if the Hawks had won???
And as far as the fact that Hawthorn lost the game because they were 'undermanned' - you put the team out there that you have, and you wear whatever happens - if you win, you win - and if you lose - you don't bitch about it - the fans certainly wouldn't have if Hawthorn had won...

• Posted by: Tess on August 30, 2009 2:04 PM

it was a fair bump and it is stupid the way the hawks reacted brown is an idiot

• Posted by: cheese on August 30, 2009 2:05 PM

wrt Lloyd true Champions like Ablett (snr), Judd, J.Brown never had/have to resort to dirty tactics to win a game even when they were out of form.

• Posted by: Bracky on August 30, 2009 2:06 PM

1. I was at the game & everyone there felt sick for Sewell. These kinds of injuries are not good for the game. Nobody wants someone being permanently injured. We are not Romans at the Collusium.
2. We love to see hard at it, accountable footy. We love to see skill, daring, bravery, honoring the jersey. Sometimes that means men get hurt.
3. Back in the day, footy was so much slower. Todays game speed mean more collissions with greater impact. That's why the rules are changing, to protect human life.
4. Back to yesterdays game, the centre clearances were so fast, furious, congested: a serious collission was inevitable.
5. Maybe we need to further limit the numbers at the centre bounce, to give the ball a chance of clearing before those outside the square can arrive. I think the rules so far are doing their best to make distinction between thuggery and physicality: none of want to lose the latter.
6. I'm confused about the "Player code of silence". After Brown's comments it should be officially laid to rest, considered a relic of the past.
7. Acting in the interests of the game: Will wait to see what response comes from The HFC about that. Making a public declaration to seek to hurt a person at a future sporting event...is simple not sporting. Garry Lyons: what do you have to say?
8. Hawthorn: your season was always doomed. Consider yourself lucky to have last years' jug in the cabinet. And the best of luck next year. One more question to Hawhorn: just what IS "unsociable football"? I presume it means getting physical when the opposition has your measure. Getting beaten at your own game is...part of the game. Whinging about it is not, for most of us.

• Posted by: G East on August 30, 2009 2:07 PM

Reviewed the video evidence. Sure looks deliberate, and I don't follow Hawthorn. I don't think Lloyd overall is a "sniper", but he deserves a solid penalty for that one. And so should any player or coach who see football a test of sneaky violence, rather than skill and toughness. Brown's comments are out of line, and should cop something too.

• Posted by: Rod on August 30, 2009 2:11 PM

What entitles Jack Sparrow to attack the courage of Lloyd, or any other AFL footballer?
Did I miss something but I don't remember Mr Sparrow playing?
Charles

• Posted by: Charles Scerri on August 30, 2009 2:12 PM

Good one Brown. Why didn't you go after Lloyd on the ground you coward? why wait till after the game with your snide comments. weak as p!ss.

• Posted by: toby on August 30, 2009 2:12 PM

campbell brown. possibly biggest whinger in football?? for a so called spiritual leader of hawthorn, he whinges an awful lot. compared to llody, he's a special ops sniper

• Posted by: chat on August 30, 2009 2:15 PM

The biggest controversy here is Quartermains biased commentary. Buddy/Cousins and Lloyd/Sewell incidents are both on youtube and his different outlooks are shocking. He should be banned from calling any games involving Hawthorn.

I hope all the Hawks fans take a chill pill. I have no doubt that having 2 players out of your rotations had a big influence on your ability to run out the game ..... but Franklins hit last week was worse.

Franklin lined up Cousins and ran at him to hurt him. Unfortunately he collected him high and was rightfully suspended. Lloyd and Sewewll were going for a lose ball. Sewell arrived first and Lloyd a split second later. Lloyd's aim was the ball. He hit him with his chest. If he was trying to knock him out he would've turned his body and ran through him with his hip or shoulder.

At worst he'll be offered the same as Franklin which will mean he can take one match with guilty plea. But if argued well at tribunal he may get off.

• Posted by: Matthew on August 30, 2009 2:16 PM

Llyod delibrately ran into Sewell. Buddy on the other hand was run into by Cousins. Llyod deserves to be out at minimun 4 weeks.
At least Essendon wont get any further in this finals run. They didnt deserve that win, the hawks were running all over them.

• Posted by: Eryl on August 30, 2009 2:23 PM

HAHAHA ummmm????? Can I just say im really crying for the Hawks here. Fo the reason that I hate it when theres such blatant hypocrisy! Come on Brown man! Weren't u defendent Buddy jst a few days ago? Have u had a look at urself in the mirror in the last few yrs? Do u remember the Winderlich incident? Do u remember ur father? Didn't u see big rough angry Batesman and the other ppl? DO u realise that u lost because u were never good enough? We beat u earlier in the season too. I am a fanatical bombers supporter yet not biased. I watched the incident many times and could conclude it was accidental and Matty was pushed in the back. If he didnt defend himself he wudve been knocked out too! Especially with Ryder there! And it was just awful how u hawks went and grabbed him straight after. Id call u guys the snipers and the sooks. And u defs have a very angry little man as a coach as well as a very public outburst from u! U shud get a rap for that too as well as clarkson! How disgraceful u guys with tall poppy syndrome questioning the integrity of one of the game's best! The reason u lost the final half is because u were angry and could not concentrate at the game on hand. And that was some wayy weird criticism and extremely childish. Id come an take on u guys in verbal spats anyday! Talk abt sour grapes and defamation!

• Posted by: Sanaya on August 30, 2009 2:23 PM

This bump was nothing like Cousins and buddy last week. Cousins is soft, It was a massive hit to knock out hard man Sewell. Buddy didnt deserve 2 weeks for getting run into, that wasn't delibrate this was!

• Posted by: Peter on August 30, 2009 2:26 PM

A few lifetime bans would remove thuggery from the game pretty quickly.

• Posted by: Lee on August 30, 2009 2:26 PM

It was a deliberate act of intended violence to take out one of the best players in the game, and onw who was thwarting the dons efforts. A miserable cowardly act. would be mortified if any of the hawks ever even contemplated such a thing

• Posted by: Vee on August 30, 2009 2:26 PM

I took the kids to the local soccer league the other day and they enjoyed the game
So I think we will join them into the local team.
I have followed aussie rules all my life and have loved the game immensely.
We live in the country and go to league games at the MCG and Etihad as much as we can
Normally about 8 games a year more if the teams we follow are going good
Over the last few years we have noticed a big change in the style of play and the change in the rules
Watching and listening to Andrew Demetriou about how we need these changes has made us really upset.
There was nothing wrong with the game to start with
The rules that they are changing in the game bring about more rule changes
Kids going through junior leagues get taught the rules and by the time they reach senior footy the rules have changed
The other week at the MCG some of the umpiring decisions were just plain confusing
How do you expect the fans of the game to understand the rules if the players themselves can’t.
I really just can’t help but think that the AFL couldn’t give a rats about the fans
They change a rule and there is public outcry from players coaches ex players media and the fans but that does not seem to worry them it still needs to change (they think)
Listening to the outcry on the Lance Franklin bump and then listening to Demetriou’s response has made me rethink about this game (that’s what it is a game)
People say they are going to do this and that but I wonder if it is just talk
I have come to the conclusion that the only way the Afl will listen to the fans is if the fans stop being fans
We are one family that will be practicing what they preach as I said earlier my kids will be playing soccer, if later they want to play Aussie rules so be it but for now goodbye Andrew and co. We are going to watch another game.

• Posted by: Phil on August 30, 2009 2:32 PM

Interesting to hear from all of these fans sitting in front of their computers commenting on the "gutless" Matthew Lloyd. Probably the same who sit behind the fence every week hurling abuse at players, safe in the knowledge that they are untouchable.

He will rightly get a couple of weeks. He also has more dignity than most if not all of the dimwits commenting on him.

• Posted by: Robert on August 30, 2009 2:36 PM

Cammpbell Brown comes across as a Hawthorn tough guy, yet he 'SLAPPED' a kid. As for their president Jeff Kennett Squealing like a little girl even his wife was embarrassed.I'd be ashamed if i was a Hawthorn supporter.

• Posted by: Kat on August 30, 2009 2:39 PM

I thought Sheedy going would get rid of the sniping he encouraged. Remember Sheedy at Richmond ? Looks like it is still promoted or Lloyd is not smart enough to change, probably the latter if you listen to him on TV he really does say some dumb things. Why pick on Lloyd, the new coach of Richmond only got a game to carry out this kind of thing. He better make sure he knows the modern day rules before he starts the sniping tuition.

• Posted by: feathers on August 30, 2009 2:41 PM

I think Campbell needs to step back a bit. Llyod made a stupid move in the middle of the ground, where he is clearly not at home. Yes, he deserves suspension, but I really don't think he has a history of violence. The same can't be said of the mentally unhinged Brown.

• Posted by: Kim on August 30, 2009 2:41 PM

Hawks are happy to dish it out but can't take it.

I am not a fan of Brereton in the 80's for what he did regularly and when he did cop some payback he could never be accused of whinging..... like Campbell Brown and their sooky coach.

Hawks of 2008 and 2009 have no class compared to the Hawks of the 80's and early 90's.

Leave Lloyd alone- he'll pay the price at the Tribunal- that is what it is there for.

• Posted by: haggus on August 30, 2009 2:42 PM

hawks, your big girl's blouse fits well

• Posted by: bongo on August 30, 2009 2:50 PM

Essendon thoroughly deserved the win, Hawthorn has gone the whole year just expecting to make the finals. Fluked the granny last year didnt work this TIME, Lloyd wont retire now he will comeback next year and hopefully takeout the entire hawthorn team. SUCKED IN HAWKS.

• Posted by: David on August 30, 2009 3:06 PM

well campbell brown would know a sniper if he saw one because he plays with a pack of them - "unsociable footy, eh" - hawks are thugs. but then what would you expect from a team coached by a bloke who was one of the best - just ask the young ian aitken about being king-hit (from behind, so cowardly also) during an after-season friendly between carlton and north melbourne in 1987. ask clarkson if he feels any remorse about brekaing aitken's jaw in that encounter and how that compares with lloyd's bump on sewell (no angel either). can dish it out but can't take it obviously. they deserved to miss the finals.

• Posted by: paul sheahan on August 30, 2009 3:19 PM

Cambell Brown shows the same attitude to losing as Hawthorn always have. I have followed Essendon for over 60 years and know that it would be a large book to outline the fair players that have donned the famous red and black jumper. Campbell needs to watch video of Hawthorn in the peiod from the 1960s to the 80s to know he should shut his mouth. Did he not observe Lloyd talking to Sewell after the game. Does he not know about Greg Sewell who played on the wing for the bombers, No, he is just angry because Hawthorn lost.

• Posted by: Ian Edward Holmes on August 30, 2009 3:19 PM

I am not a fan of Franklin getting done for last week's thing, but there is a very big difference between that one and the Lloyd-Sewell thng. Sewell had his head over the ball and was recklessly charged by Lloyd, a player with his head over the bal must be protected. Even before the Biddy thing, this was a four-week hit. And yes, it is not the first Hawthorn player sent to la-la land by a charging Lloyd.

• Posted by: Andrew on August 30, 2009 3:32 PM

There is one big difference between buddys bump & the snippers bump. Sewell had his head over the ball. Cousin could see it coming.
Lloyd can't kick goals anymore so wanted an influence so has resorted to cheep shots. time to retire

• Posted by: Andrew on August 30, 2009 3:36 PM

Lloyd is not a sniper but I know who used to be and he coaches the current hawthorn team. Clarkson the coward broke Ian Aitken's jaw from behind when Aitken wasnt looking in the infamous "Battle of Britain" match years ago,then ran from those seeking retribution like the coward that he is.Its there for all to see.Pathetic in light of coward clarkson's comments post game to Lloyd. your chickens have come to roost. Chicken being the operative word.

• Posted by: stickman on August 30, 2009 3:38 PM

Lloyd is definitely a sniper. Why else is he called the 'velvet sledgehammer'. He has also been getting away with this sort of stuff for years. Just ask Josh Thurgood who's jaw got smashed by Lloyd's arm in a plaster cast.
It's runaway now Lloyd and retire, 'cause you know you're going to get belted next time.

• Posted by: martin on August 30, 2009 3:39 PM

Richmond supporter (and proud!). I actually quite like both Essendon and Hawthorn (reserving my hatred to adelaide teams and carlton).
I wish the Tiges had the spirit of the Dons and Hawks.

The issue here is the impact on the game being played at the time. It seems to me that Hawthorn lost the game because they ran out of puff. This was possibly/probably caused by the two players on the bench. Observe a replay and see Bateman not chase during the defining goal- he was exhausted.

Instant adjudication is needed and Lloyd (or even more sensibly an equivalent player to Sewell such as Watson) should have been dragged making the destruction of a player by violence less likely. Most codes have a sending off rule - this is the perfect example why the AFL needs one too.

• Posted by: kepler on August 30, 2009 3:45 PM

Lloyd has for years been a sly crasher - but if he gets touched up goes the hands, and he milks all he can get from the umpire. Melbourne got run over in the 1990 Grand Final because they went onto the oval to play footie first, whereas the Bombers (Cockroaches in their red and black) went out to put in the biff first. Suspend Lloyd - Yes

• Posted by: Conrad on August 30, 2009 3:46 PM

Quoting other bumps out of the 1980s doesn't change what the thig that Lloyd is did. I don't barrack for either team, but Llpyd has always been a sniper, claiming he is a ball player is the biggest joke of the lot.
From his first season he has loved to get the sneaky ones in... Mind you it has never stopped him diving for free kicks - he's still the best ever at that. Simply put its not the first time he's lined blokes up, only this time he might have to pay the piper.
A cheat and a thug - pure and simple. A perfect Essendon man.

• Posted by: MDF on August 30, 2009 3:48 PM

comparing Llloyd to players like Matthews or Brereton is so wrong... at least Matthews and Brereton stood up like men and copped what they gave out... Llloyd does the damage and then runs away

i just hope he gets that smirk wiped off his face sometime soon

• Posted by: ben on August 30, 2009 3:48 PM

Pedro you Wally, obviously a an Essendon tosser. Hawthorn lucky to win last year's grand final, i think not. it took your team of blow hards, an age to put a seriously depleted team out of its misery. eleven of the Hawthorn premiership line up were missing. Your season ends next week son.
The sniper will never play again and a premiership is just as far away as ever! Can't wait to beat you bunch of flogs next year.

• Posted by: Jack klaver on August 30, 2009 3:48 PM

I've never seen a hard ball get from Lloyd, I also can’t recall him ever tackling anyone . . . ever.
There was only one thing he want from that contest, and he got it.
Anyway some people finish their career with premiership medals around their necks and some don’t.
This will probably be a fitting end to a fitting career.

• Posted by: Dhoni on August 30, 2009 3:50 PM

No bigger thug than Campbell Brown in the game. Why would anyone care what that neanderthal has to say on the issue?

Whoever gave him a snap to the face yesterday should be awarded a medal.

Lloyd will probably get reported but the 'sniper' tag is both wrong and defamatory.

Also I hope the disgusting and blatant coathanger occuring in the third quarter is also cited.

• Posted by: Scott on August 30, 2009 3:52 PM

The fellow that said Sewell wasn't dominating the game and quoting his possessions, perhaps you should watch the game? Sewell had 8 contested possessions and 7 tackles in a half, the most any Essendon player had for the WHOLE game was 9 contested possessions and 8 tackles. Soft and gutless as Lloyd has always been. Try playing the ball like Sewell you sniper.

• Posted by: bob on August 30, 2009 3:54 PM

Yea ok lloyd did knock him out but wat culd he do..???really..if your running at that speed to get the ball and the opposition gets there first of course your gona do sumthing..
It was just a bad time bump as u see when sewells head is just coming up he gets hit in the chin..
That's football..
Ok lloyd will get suspended but its not like buddys wen u actually see him putting out his elbow...
So what ever happens at least they shook hands...

• Posted by: raz on August 30, 2009 3:56 PM

Please keep it coming Hawthorn supporters, the incessant whingeing of sore losers is pricesless entertainment!

Here is your template: Lloyd is a gutless thug, Campbell Brown is a genius, Hawks would have won if not for bad umpiring etc. etc.

Keep it coming!!!

• Posted by: Samwyze on August 30, 2009 4:00 PM

If Buddy gets a two week ban for a so called bump with Cousin then sniper Loyd should get a 7 week ban for what he did to Sewell. This was a delibarate attack by the bombers and this event turned the whole game around. It's just not fair!! I hope the bombers will lose agaist the crows...and don't even come to the finals next year....

Go the mighty hawks!!

• Posted by: GJ on August 30, 2009 4:03 PM

It's interesting to note once the clash happened it was Robert Walls calling for Lloyd's head on the TV. Is it just me or does Robert Walls just despise Essendon. His comments could help prejiduce the Tribunil. As for the clash Lloyd was pushed into the player, lets see what the Tribunil has to say.

• Posted by: Cam on August 30, 2009 4:03 PM

Lloyd should get 4 weeks. Retire and never play again. He should be remembered for his last act on the field it summed up his playing career. Thug

• Posted by: James Hird on August 30, 2009 4:04 PM

Is Loyd a sniper? Maybe. I can remember when one time he lined up an opposition player (who moved out of the way) and instead KO'd his own teamate (Blake Caracella). What this whole incident does show though, is that the only people who cry harder than Hawthorn players, are Hawthorn supporters.

• Posted by: James on August 30, 2009 4:26 PM

Matthew Lloyd you are a disgrace, only had to look at your face after the game, guilt written all over it, enjoy your suspension. What a hollow victory Essendon.

• Posted by: ,lorraine on August 30, 2009 4:27 PM

The fairy boy of the AFL great last game wouldnt you think? snipes a Sewell like a true Essondon thug then runs away from the ball for the rest of the game, soft, great tactics displayed aswell,
"if we kill all their good players, they wont be able to play football"
well congrats it worked, you beat a Hawks side without Boyle,Campbell, Croad,Ellis,Ladson,Roughead,Stokes,
Thorp,Williams,Young, and Franklin, wow big Achievement Essondon for beating a side with 10 of our players under 20

• Posted by: Jake on August 30, 2009 4:33 PM

as you whingers carry on about the bump being dead it seems you have forgotten about the duty of care that should be taken, franklin should have got more time as it was reckless, dangerous and more importantly FRONT ON! IF YOU WANT TO WATCH PEOPLE GET KILLED THATS FINE BUT THE BUMP HAS ALWAY'S BEEN CLASSED AS A HIP AND SHOULDER TO THE SIDE OF THE BODY.

• Posted by: shaun orourke on August 30, 2009 4:33 PM

What entitles Jack Sparrow to attack the courage of Lloyd, or any other AFL footballer?
Did I miss something but I don't remember Mr Sparrow playing?
Charles
Posted by: Charles Scerri on August 30, 2009 2:12 PM
Watching the spineless squib hit people when they are not looking entitles me to criticise his courage Charles, just like many others have. Just because I haven't played AFL doesn't mean I can't pick a gutless tool Charles, plus, Lloyds actions make him pretty easy to pick as a gutless sniper. And yes, if he was in front of me I'd give him the same serve I gave him here because he is just that, a spineless squib.

• Posted by: Jack Sparrow on August 30, 2009 4:33 PM

Matthew Lloyd has always played like a girl and Essendon have been the biggest under achievers of the last 15 years they cheated with the salary cap and got away with it and could only win one grand final in that time.How pathetic! Matthew what a great way to finish your career you wouldn't have the guts to come back next year anyway.
As for Campbell Brown at least you can see him coming, not like the coward Lloyd.

• Posted by: Jkap on August 30, 2009 4:36 PM

By 'sniper' was Brown referring to how accurate Lloyd has been at kicking goals over the journey?

• Posted by: Bryn on August 30, 2009 4:37 PM

Isn't this what Hawthorn term "unsociable footy". Pot, kettle, black.

• Posted by: Jane on August 30, 2009 4:37 PM

Its a little dissapointing this blog has turned into a Hawthorn v Essendon war & people are bringing up stuff from the 80s. What happened in the old days is completely irrelevant to today's football. So what if Matthews or Merrett were snipers 30 years ago? The game is completely different now & you can't do that sort of thing any more & get away with it.

There is one massive difference between Buddy & Lloyd; intent. Buddy did an old fashioned bump on a player who was standing up that we would have been raving about 2 years ago. Now, because of the rule changes it's 2 weeks because he got him in the head. Lloyd actually "charged" a bloke who had his head down & wouldnt have seen him coming. That is reportable in any era. He deserves at least 4 weeks for that because it was extremely dangerous what he did & is exactly what the AFL wants to stop. Byron Pickett got 6 weeks for doing something similiar a couple of years ago. Also, those who are suggesting Buddy's bump was worse than Lloyd's are clearly biased Essendon supporters. If you look at both replays carefully you can see Buddy bracing himself a split second before contact because he knew it was coming. This was partly in self-defence. Lloyd on the other hand actually manouveres himself at the last second to cause maximum damage. That is a clear difference in intent. For Lloyd to suggest that Schumacher pushed him is a blatant lie & a clear indication of what his plea will be at the tribunal. Also, the AFL mite want to investigate why Paddy Ryder was standing behind Sewell, ready for the Lloyd hit. This makes the whole hit look premeditated given that it happened rite at the start of the 3rd quarter & allowed the bombers best midfielder Watson to get into game.

Also, its actually quite refreshing to hear players like Campbell Brown (& Nick Maxwell a couple of weeks ago) actually come out & say the truth & confirm what everyone is thinking anyway. Much more honest & genuine than the standard "we're dissapointed with those comments" & "how dare you question the integrity of our players " crap that is the usual text book response. And that goes to the whole sniper issue. Those Essendon supporters who are calling Brown a hypocrite are missing the point. Not even Hawthorn supporters are suggesting that Brown is Mr Clean-skin. But he is not a sniper because a sniper is someone who is sneaky & tries to take out people unsuspectingly. With Brown, you know exactly what you're gonna get. He is emotional & physical & doesn't back down. He also goes mainly for the physical players in the opposition. Lloyd on the other hand targets fair ball players like Sewell & isn't called the Velvet sledgehammer for nothing. Putting this incident aside, he was the most ineffective player on the ground yesterday. He couldnt run, wasn't putting his body in contests & couldnt mark or kick properly. He was a liabilty in the first half & even Essendon supporters could see it. Its time for Lloyd to retire. He selfishly held onto the captaincy this year & looks to only be playing on to get to 1000 goals. He is not going to part of the bombers next premiership & Knights has already made the tough call with Lucas. Time to do the same with Lloyd. He is not a great player like Hird or Fletcher & history will not judge him as one of the great full forwards.

• Posted by: Moe on August 30, 2009 4:38 PM

buddy does it oh nos end of the game
lloyd does it and hawks cry
none of the bumps should have copped a suspension
go on you tube and look up afl greatest hits and check out some real unwhinging teams
i cant remember the name of the aboriginal fellow who used to play for north and port , one of the best hitters in the game
the one who broke joe misitis jaw
he would instantly target you for a great hit
and for the puffed up chicken from hawks , go cry some more on radio
should be fined
cant comment on the umpires but can say we are going to target a player for a bump ? not a hit to the jaw or an elbow or a king hit , but for a bump thats part of our game , pack of whining no good hawks and supporters , go play soccer and roll around on the ground for 4 hours after a knee tap
pfffttt

did we hear cousins or wc on radio complaing about buddy ? no

hawks still cant get over 84 85 lol

• Posted by: jay marton on August 30, 2009 4:38 PM

C Brown should be stood down for 12 months.you cant go around saying things like he did.It is worst than what Cuz did and he was stood down

• Posted by: anetta on August 30, 2009 4:42 PM

no doubt bump was intentional. player does this should be bane for lifetime from the game. it is more shameful when such senior player react this way and frustrating when club defend such act instead of apologizing for act.

• Posted by: ankit on August 30, 2009 4:42 PM

AFL glorifies cheap, nasty onfield violence. The most stupid about most of you parochial Australian AFL followers is you're the same ones who then whinge about violence on your streets.

Having said this, for parochial boganism, you can't go past Essendon - the team and the suburb. And a violent captain who belts behind play like Lloyd does is a disgrace.

• Posted by: whatyouon on August 30, 2009 4:42 PM

Despite the fact that the hit on Sewell was potentially dangerous, and suspension worthy, I don't mind the fact that Lloyd occasionally causes injury to opposition player-he is a big strong player it is part of the game to exert that strength.

Although in my opinion he doesn't put his body on the line or get physical with larger opposition players when it is his turn, maybe this is where the "sniper" accusation from Brown comes from.

• Posted by: Mick on August 30, 2009 4:46 PM

Essedon supporter here.

Was at the game yesterday, but missed the incident as was in line to buy a beer.

Have seen some replays, didn't look intentional for mine, just a bit reckless. Ball was loose when Lloyd was running in, but he should have known that he wouldn't get there in time, and will get a few weeks as he deserves.

But Brown's outburst shows up Hawthorn for the club they are - bullies. Happy to dish it out, first to run to teacher when they cop a few back. No idea how this team that prides themselves on their 'unsociable' football, an obvious euphemaism for thuggery and arguably not even a real word, has a reputation as the family club.

Lloyd has some faults, such as the diving thing which he has acknowledged, but a sniper who takes cheap shots? Haven't seen any credible evidence put up by those who argue that he is, aside from vague statements to 'look at his record', maybe you should be more specific? The arm cast thing was accidental, and when you're a big forward crashing packs to take a mark you're going to end up hurting people.

So let's sum up. First team in a decade to miss the finals after a priemership. Lots of whinging about percieved unfairness. Lots of noise about injuries. In the end a club with no depth in its list that wants to blame everyone else for its failings.

A lot of people dislike Lloyd, probably because of his tendency to kick a lot goals and win games. A shame really, when you get people saying he is just a talentless thug, who apparently has kicked 900+ goals simply by knocking blokes over. Seems like souur grapes to me. The nines agree.

• Posted by: peter bayliss on August 30, 2009 4:55 PM

You Hawthorn supporters are unbalievable, You have the longest and most continual list of snipers and thugs of any club in the history of the game.... To say Loyd is a coward is only proving your ignorance.... You just wish buddy could kick like him.Your tiny minds do recall also we beat you with both Buddy and Roughhead in the side! And if we do get knocked out of the finals fist week, who cares your not even in the finals thanks to us.

Your hypocrisy is true to form you can give but cant take it.....Campbell Brown is a peanut so is Clarkson and so are there supporters!

• Posted by: Craig on August 30, 2009 4:58 PM

After watching the video frame by frame it appears that Matthew Lloyd props as if trying to stop or slow down moments before the impact and is off balance at the time of impact due to the push from behind by the Hawthorn player. Hawthorn must be regretting that push.

• Posted by: Ken Kobling on August 30, 2009 5:08 PM

it is what old players do when they get old

• Posted by: adam on August 30, 2009 5:09 PM

Okay, calling Hawthorn lucky to win last years premiership is ridiculous. How was it luck? So, Hawthorn just happened to be lucky to finish 2nd, lucky to win 2 finals in excess of 50 points and then still beat 'the greatest team of all' by over 4 goals with two men down (1 was best-on-ground- at the time).

Anyway, we all know Hawthorn's season was no where near the standard we are starting to expect but it's not without many factors. These are not excuses but merely facts. Personnel. Back line was depleted for the entire year with many players underdone, short of a full pre-season, carrying injury and with an ever changing line up it's very hard to find and maintain form. For example, against Essendon, we were missing 10 premiership players and were missing our 3 highest goal scores over the last 4 years (and to only lose by 17 points). Youth. Hawthorn is still the youngest side in the AFL and had 7 debutants this season. With young sides, it's hard to be consistent and with the ever changing line up and missing seniors players, just makes it all the more difficult. Yes, many performances were not up to scratch even with the personnel playing but it's not as if Hawthorn 'isn't as good as people thought', 'got lucky', 'fluked it'.

Okay, on to the topic. Franklin's suspension was a disgrace. Not because he plays for Hawthorn but for what's a good bump or hard at it footy anymore? Kennett said it right, Newman said it right. Disgrace. Sure, it's a free kick, could be a 50m penalty but it's not a suspension. Going by the standard set by Franklin's suspension, Lloyd should go for at least 4 weeks. Remember Lloyd's forearm guard? Dirty.

So, Campbell Brown's father was a 'thug', that's his father and not him. Campbell is a tough player but not unfair so why mention his father?

Essendon just making up the numbers? Indeed. Watch for a comfortable win by Adelaide next week. Enjoy. :)

• Posted by: Floyd on August 30, 2009 5:11 PM

Brad Sewell is a very fair and honest player that is popular both within the hawthorn football club and the wider football community. When someone flattens him the way Lloyd did on Saturday they're going to bear the brunt of a lot of criticism.

Whether or not he meant it (which i suspect he did in an opportunisitic sense). Lloyd will wear that badge from this day forth. On the flip side of the coin his actions basically got Essendon into the finals.

Hero or villian? .... depends which side of the fence you sit on.

• Posted by: eyes on the ball on August 30, 2009 5:13 PM

The main difference between what Lloyd did and what Franklin was that, in my opinion, it was a premeditated act from someone who couldn't get a kick and whose only contribution to the game was to knock out a genuine ball player. Lloyd has been brought up in the very worst traditions of Sheedy coaching and it's not the first time he's done similar things. At least it was safer when "Autumn Leaves" was throwing himself forward playing for frees all the time.

As for the turkeys claiming Brereton, Dipper and Matthews were thugs so we shouldn't complain about Lloyd, I don't know if you're noticed but it's 2009, not 1985. The game has changed rather a lot!

Hopefully Lloyd gets what he deserves, which is a minimum of 3 weeks.

• Posted by: Stephen Redenbach on August 30, 2009 5:14 PM

Hopefully this is the end of Lloyds career. If not i look forward to the Hawks getting stuck into the mongrel next year!!! He will be remembered as a washed up champion and a thug!!! Hope he gets 4+ weeks!!!

• Posted by: Glen on August 30, 2009 5:15 PM

Clearly Mad Monday can't come fast enough for Hawthorn or their supporters. Let's not remember one game but instead let's reflect on a pathetic season in 2009 where the defense of a "lucky" premiership was less than inspiring! Get over it, go and have a few beers and get ready for 100 100's!! Whatever Lloyd gets at the tribunal the one thing Essendon won't do is WHINGE.

• Posted by: Merve on August 30, 2009 5:17 PM

He deserves 2 weeks, he should've been more careful but not much malicious intent in the bump

• Posted by: teddy's mum on August 30, 2009 5:21 PM

Listen to Sparrow and all the other Hawthorn hypocrites whining about Lloyd, just two days after whining about Franklins "legal" hit on Cousins and saying how unfair it was that poor buddy was even reported. Of course, when you get your own back out you come whining and whinging about it. And Campbell Brown? LMAO...another example of Squark hypocricy. Really, you Squarks are the pits. Ninth is perfect for you lot. Long may you suffer. Pretenders and clearly the worst Premiership team since 1990. How you losers snagged it last year is one of the great mysteries of the modern football era. It will only get worse from here Squarkers.

• Posted by: David on August 30, 2009 5:27 PM

Campbell Brown, what an idiot! To criticise the exact thing that Buddy did last week.

• Posted by: T on August 30, 2009 5:27 PM

This was the most unprofessional play I saw in the recent footy. These things happens in the game.

But the question is how Hawthorn lost all their focus to the game after the incident. Its funny they all were running after the Lloyd.

• Posted by: Vish on August 30, 2009 5:28 PM

I hope Paul Hamilton convinces Matthew Lloyd to sue Campbell Brown for defamation and Campbell Brown gets a good lawyer and defends it, there would be a long line of AFL players that are victims of Lloyd cheap shots willing to help Brownie

Reading this blog makes wonder if you need to have a low level of literacy to be a Bombers fan ?

• Posted by: Christian of Hawthorn on August 30, 2009 5:28 PM

Hawks got beaten at their own game, they pump up the rough and tough stuff and expect teams to be intimidated by it.

Well the bluff rubbish coming from Brown was priceless to watch no one buys that crap anymore, if you you had young Angus laugh at you Browny just shut your trap and play football from now on. Or pop the cork big guy and walk the walk the guy you were upset with didn't go anywhere.

Lloyd hit him high and should get weeks 2-3, it wasn't a flat out snip or he'd have turned his shoulder on him.

Most of you cry sooks have short memories, there's not a power forward playing or that has played that hasn't run through someone at sometime in their career, sure it sometimes look ugly, heavy clashes do.

It's funny that Fev lifting his knee and driving a player ( injuring them for weeks)backing into a contest brings no ire yet a front clash make you bleat like a freshly castrated lamb.

Wake up it's a hard fast game.

• Posted by: Stumpy on August 30, 2009 5:32 PM

The Buddy bump is nothing like the Lloyd incident. Lloyd's was orchestrated at half time, was lined up with Sewell's head over the ball. The comparison is made only in attempt to justify Lloyd's weak, cowardly act.

• Posted by: Stevo on August 30, 2009 5:36 PM

The 'unsociable football' team cops a little of their own medicine!

What goes around comes around, I say... and godd riddance to the Hawks.

• Posted by: John Johns on August 30, 2009 5:44 PM

Campbell Brown calling someone else a sniper?!!! That's rich. Brown is the bloke who in 2005, ran 50m to hit Jason Winderlich. Winderlich at the time was 18 yrs old, already concussed and being helped from the ground. It doesn't get much lower or weaker than that. Brown got 4 weeks, deserved 10.

• Posted by: Kim on August 30, 2009 5:48 PM

Lloyd is a pretty boy..not the first time he has taken a cheap shot..

Is he a sniper...my oath he is...knee's...shoulder charges...weak as p*ss

• Posted by: Will on August 30, 2009 5:52 PM

bad luck lloyd, you're out! always plays for free kicks and acts like nothing is ever his fault.
and to all those pathetic essendon supporters with a chip on their shoulder, you are very amusing. just realize that if you had half of your best 22 players out you'd be playing off for the wooden spoon. you're never going to be good enough to win a flag with your current team, unlike the hawks (haha!!).

• Posted by: brendan on August 30, 2009 5:54 PM

How do you sell hypocrite? H-a-w-t-h-o-r-n. Coached by one of the biggest snipers in the game's history. Pathetic sooks.

• Posted by: Go Bombers on August 30, 2009 5:55 PM

Matthew Lloyd is not the cleanest player I've ever seen, but the Sewell incident was part of the game.

The people retaliating negatively to this are mostly Hawthorn supporters, who at the same time are saying that Franklin should not have been suspended.

Take your pick...either both Lloyd and Franklin are guilty, or they're not.
Don't set double standards.

Campbell Brown is hardly an angel, and I think it's a point of the pot calling the kettle back.

I don't condone thuggery on the field, but both the Franklin-Cousins and Lloyd-Sewell incidents were unfortunate, but simply part of the game.

Now move on.

• Posted by: Mathew Kouzmenko on August 30, 2009 6:01 PM

How do you sell hypocrite? H-a-w-t-h-o-r-n. Coached by one of the biggest snipers in the game's history. Pathetic sooks.

• Posted by: Go Bombers on August 30, 2009 6:02 PM

For what lloyd did he deserves at least four or five weeks. Lets hope he plays on next year so he takes the medicine, rather than wimp out with retirement. Essendon breeds thigs, and Lloyd is just another.

• Posted by: Gerry on August 30, 2009 6:03 PM

Franklin did not deserve to be outed nor does LLoyd. Lloyd has always been a ball player and hard at it. Maybe we are watching the transformation to Basketball and Mr Brown's ironic comments may then hold water.

• Posted by: Rob McGrath on August 30, 2009 6:04 PM

Hypocrisy is in the air. You'd think Brown would have the sense to shut his mouth after one, the campaign Hawthorn went on for Buddy, and two, his own track record. The cheap shot at Matthew Lloyd's integrity is purely a manifestation of spite and Hawthorn's reluctance to blame their own poor form in their dismal finals attempt.
Hard bumps, this is the nature of the game, this is no malice act.

For consistancy, Lloydy will be suspended, but damn his reputation and integrity for the bump and you only damn yourself Hawthorn.

• Posted by: Trish Griffiths on August 30, 2009 6:05 PM

Sarah Esmond 9.02 am, Please , Please take all of your like minded idiots with you and watch lawn bowls or organic gardening shows. The people like you who don't want their little precious' watching "ever increasing violence" should not watch contact sports. If you look at the how AFl has developed in the last 20 Years the level of violence has dropped remarkbly, through great work by the AFL. Your comment is short sighted, ill informed and is in direct contradiction to the facts. That was footy pure and simple, It is a very fast game. He will get a couple weeks, deservedly so.

• Posted by: Derek Jemerson on August 30, 2009 6:05 PM

I must say as an Essendon supporter for over 50 years I am rather embarrassed at the reaction by some Essendon supporters here.

Matthews 'hit' on Sewell was a premeditated high shot designed to take one of the oppositions main ball winners out of the match, and should be punished by the tribunal as such. To say otherwise is blatant bias or simply uneducated football followers not seeing it for what it is.

Unfortunately for Essendon, Matthew Lloyd has not been up to it all year, and deserves to not only be suspended by the AFL, but also by the club for this action. He is most certainly not Captain material, and I feel has bought the great title as Captain of the Essendon club down with his actions over the years, especially yesterday.

I believe it is time for Matthew Lloyd to go before he does more damage to our once proud club.

• Posted by: John Flood on August 30, 2009 6:09 PM

You anti Essendon, anti Lloyd people are totally blind. There is no doubt that Lloyd was pushed in the back (with both hands by the way) into the contest. It's a clear as day if the television stations choose to show that angle. I'm sure Essendon will be able to mount a credible defense of Lloyd. As for Campbell Brown, I'd be pursing him in the courts for slander and defamation.

• Posted by: Anne on August 30, 2009 6:10 PM

Of course Lloyd is a thug, he's done that sort of thing so often. Crashing blindly into packs with the intent to hurt and maim. However, I take any cry of foul from the dawks with a very large tub of Saxa. Just think back to Lethal, Dermie, Dunstall, Dipper, et al, all thugs...So it's like the pot calling the kettle black... Reiwoldt and Kozzie are the same down at StBoozers...skittle the packs and try to hurt the opposition...

• Posted by: Peter Pieman on August 30, 2009 6:12 PM

What a fool Campbell Brown is. False bravado, all bark and no bite, except for "bitch slapping" young Angus Monfries - what a tough man.

Huffing and puffing on the boundary line like some mentally disturbed clown.

Wants Lloyd to play next year in a veilled threat?? Didn't he have the whole of the second half of the game to pursue Lloyd if he was man enough? Why wait until next year, what is wrong with the present?

I do remember Lloyd not flinching one bit for the rest of the game, even with the gutless Bateman cheap shot!

Come on Campbell, grow up, who do you think you are fooling? Your words are hollow - you have shown your true colours.

• Posted by: Scott on August 30, 2009 6:15 PM

I'm sick of Hawthorn bleating on about how many of their players are missing. Every team has to face up to injuries. Get over it. The only extra player who could've and should've been there was Buddy. By the way, you pinched last year's premiership and it'll be a long wait for the next.

• Posted by: Desmo on August 30, 2009 6:18 PM

Hopefully Lloyd gets 6, then retires and his career is remembered for being a Sniper. Buddy’s bump was a split second decision, Lloyds "hit" was premeditated after a half time spray and not because another Hawks player pushed him, what a joke. Funny how all you Essendon supporters bagged Buddy last week now it's your turn. Also to short memory Essendon supporters, don't forget Lloyed broke another Hawthorn players jaw in Josh Thurgood a few years ago with his arm gard. I hope you do play on for the entertainment, if not, good by gutless pretty boy, we will remember you well for these gutless ac ts. Oh, to everyone who thinks we stole a flag, when was your last premiership. Suck it up...HA HA HA.
Ray Wilson. Rowville

• Posted by: Ray Wilson on August 30, 2009 6:25 PM

As a Hawks fan the I can't see much difference between what Buddy did and what Lloyd did, so I'd expect Lloyd to get offered a one week suspension. The key difference is that Buddy goes in hard all the tme - Lloyd only goes in for the easy shots. Just look at his performance yesterday and during his entire career ... There won't be many photos of Lloyd at the bottom of a pack or in situations where he could get hurt. If I was Clarko I'd have put in a retiree-to-be (eg Dew) with the aim of rolling a few key Bombers, even Lloyd despite his overall impotence these days. Hawks lost (as they did back in 2004) as 1. they couldn't channel their aggression towards the ball after the bump; and 2. they made some pretty basic errors due largely to inexperience. But there were some pretty good signs for 2010. Let's hope they can play with that passion for much more of the season and not just the last game ...

• Posted by: Hawkster on August 30, 2009 6:26 PM

another weekend another mass brawl on the footy field - when is someone going to take action to sort this out - no wonder victoria is becoming such a violent place to live!

• Posted by: dave on August 30, 2009 6:27 PM

Matthew Lloyd is a sly nasty piece of work - likes dishing it out but when its time to take it he is nowhere to be seen...a bit like the school sneak.
The game won't miss him in the slightest when he's gone.
And Im not a Hawthorn supporter either.

• Posted by: rick on August 30, 2009 6:31 PM

If Mathew Lloyd is a sniper then what does that make Dermott Brererton or for that matter Tony Lockett,
nuclear bombardiers?

• Posted by: mick sirianni on August 30, 2009 6:33 PM

If there are two people who were BORN to play and coach the Hawks,it is Son Of Mal,and the "Battle Of Britain" Hero of Infamy...
Brown in the "line in the sand" game certainly proved his worth as a "sniper",when Winderlich was leaving the field of "play" that day, and it was a "king hit" against a Carlton player in the London game when the present day Hawk coach was a player.
Brereton performed pretty much the same bump against Van Der Haar in the final at Waverley 20 years ago,and the Hawthorn crowd thought it was terrific. There was much gloating last year at the unsociable football brand that was played in their premiership year,but now "how dare we cop it" by the two faced coach and son of the dirtiest player i ever witnessed play.... (1974 Windy Hill), The Elbow that Stoneham copped at Princess Park,What happened to Watson in the 1983 GF,and the "line in the sand game" will live in infamy Hawthorn, so shut your mouths and accusations and "threats",when one of your players JUST receives a bump...

• Posted by: Noel Leonor on August 30, 2009 6:34 PM

When was the last time Matthew Lloyd went in and got a hard ball. Bombers can defend him all they want, but put simply he picks off the cherries and is soft. His bump on Sewell was reckless and was always going to end in a potential head injury. Just wish someone from Hawks was able to repay the favour.

• Posted by: adam on August 30, 2009 6:44 PM

Have a sook Hawthorn.You lost to the better team on the day. Focus on 2010. As for Brown, he is thew biggest sniper in the game. His comments are laughable considering he made them.

• Posted by: Jarrod Blusztein on August 30, 2009 6:46 PM

Of course not. I may be a Blues fan, but I know that was obviously not sniping. let C. Brown think what he wants.

• Posted by: Jake on August 30, 2009 6:49 PM

Accidental bump, Lloyd had no intention to KO an opponent. Massive double standards by hawks fans & players - c'mon hawks, ride the bumps with a grin!!!

• Posted by: Jim on August 30, 2009 6:54 PM

In this day and age, it should be 6+ but probably more. Anyone who would seriously compare the Franklin bump with the Lloyd one is a clear cut idiot. Lloyd is a coward, Sewell was killing the bombers at that stage and Lloyd saw him duck his head over the ball before trying to send him to hospital. Disgraceful act, disgraceful club, you made it to the finals this year dons, but by the look of your list against our 2nds team, it will be 2014 before you make it again.

• Posted by: Mel on August 30, 2009 7:02 PM

Stop whinging Hawthorn. You spend all week telling anyone who cared to listen that poor old Buddy should be spared at the AFL tribunal, that he has no case to answer and the laws of the game should be changed. How quickly your tune changes after your man cops a bump. I don't watch every game every week but I can recall the AFL advising clubs that irrespective of the intent, if a player is hit in the head your man is in trouble – Buddy should of got a couple of weeks and so will Matthew Lloyd.

Go Dees 2010

• Posted by: david on August 30, 2009 7:06 PM

Once again the Sheedy legacy shines through. After twenty five plus years of thuggish bevavior, cheap shots and unnecessary aggro why would Lloyd be any different now.

• Posted by: Nigel on August 30, 2009 7:12 PM

Andrew Burton, Are you seriously joking?

Hawthorn had Brereton, Dippa and lets not forget Mathews, one of the 'greats' of our game who didn't even bother going for the ball just assaulted opposition players behind play when he didn't get his way.

Brown, you want Llyod to play on next year so you can give whats coming to him? Well you had an entire half of football in Essendon's forward line and you didn't say boo. Words are cheap in football, Hawthorn yesterday were all smoke and no fire!

• Posted by: Andrew on August 30, 2009 7:12 PM

I've lived in Melbourne 50 years. For 45 of those I've been watching Aussie Rules footy, both the VFL/AFL and the VFA.

I've seen some classic matches in my time, seen some big hits, and some big brawls. I've also read several thousand reams of comments by supposed football experts and passionate supporters of one club or another.

However, I am confused what Dhoni means with these two lines in his post

"Anyway some people finish their career with premiership medals around their necks and some don’t.

This will probably be a fitting end to a fitting career."

Exactly what did Dhoni mean by these words?

I just looked up M. Lloyd's achievements (1 Premiership, 3 Coleman Medals, 5 time All-Australian Selection, 7th all time on VFL/AFL goalkicking list.)
Sounds like a pretty good career to me.

• Posted by: Rod on August 30, 2009 7:16 PM

You shouldn't compare Lloyd and Buddy in any way whatsoever. Lloyd might be an alright bloke outside of footy and a good kick for goal, but he was always a diver and a sniper. Buddy gets killed by the umps and keeps going about his business in a hard but always fair way. Bumping or making forceful contact to an opponent from front-on when that player has his head down over the ball - 750 demerit points. It's at least 7 weeks, but they might add more and given the context, probably should. What he did was cowardly in any era. Enjoy finals dons, judging by your list, it will probably be another 5 years before you cheekily slip in again, by then, the hawks will probably have another two premierships.

• Posted by: Melanthios on August 30, 2009 7:17 PM

i have followed the bomber for all my life and am sad to see my club captain conduct himself this way. the diving was bad enough. Why my club cannot play within the rules and salary cap is beyond me

• Posted by: Diego Rossi on August 30, 2009 7:22 PM

Matthew Lloyd is in the Essendon squad because he is a thug?

Seventh highest goal kicker, yeh right.

• Posted by: Anthony Ciavarella on August 30, 2009 7:25 PM

Of course he's a sniper! They don't call him the Velvet Sledgehammer for nothing.

• Posted by: Chris Kelly on August 30, 2009 7:26 PM

ive lost so much respect for hawthorn over the past week, the are obviously to embarrassed to blame themselves for loosing.
and people are saying Lloyd did what buddy did he should get 2 or 3 but buddy got given 1 week for what he did, it was because they fought it buddy got 2 so Lloyd should get one week if its the same case

• Posted by: El on August 30, 2009 7:26 PM

cant wait for the crows to put essendon out of their misery next week...

at least campbell brown takes as good as he gives... he isnt a sneak like lloyd

lets hope he retires and is remembered for this incident... he better have saved well too, cause his boring personality will not do well in media

lets hope someone wipes that smirk off his face real soon

• Posted by: jack on August 30, 2009 7:29 PM

How dare they?

Can anyone remember the bad days of Dermot Brereton, and Leigh Matthews.

What a pack of thugs they were.

• Posted by: Alan Buckley on August 30, 2009 7:34 PM

To Tristain,

Bombers played Hawks earlier in the year when you had Buddy, Roughy and all your so called guns and they only won by 44 points. Get over it Hawks had a pathetic year.

• Posted by: pg on August 30, 2009 7:36 PM

Go back to look at his suspension record from 2001. Facts speak for themselves.@
Campbell Brown - Spot on!

• Posted by: The Explosion on August 30, 2009 7:41 PM

Campbell Brown MUST be suspended. I have never seen a weaker comment made by a sore loser who is the KING of snipers. It runs in his family. He is a poor excuse for a footballer and has made himself look like an absolute tool, which he and most of the Hawthorn players are.

• Posted by: SG on August 30, 2009 7:41 PM

If you actually watch the reply. Number 25 of hawthorn pushed lloydy making the impact even harder. Nobody except for lloyd will ever know if it was deliberate. Hawthorn suck. When it comes to their premiership last year, well they are just like the dumbest kid in the class doing a multiple choice test and getting 100% on it. Bombers all the way. Brown is a whimp and everybody know that! Lloydy won't cop too much due to that brown idiot threatening him. *clap clap*

• Posted by: Elly on August 30, 2009 7:42 PM

Hopefully the AFL will realise (if the Hawthorn club doesn't) that Cameron Brown is the player deserving a significant ban. His thuggish behaviour should be drummed out of AFL.

• Posted by: RL on August 30, 2009 7:47 PM

Cant wait for Barry Hall to join the Forward line ..... Then keep your eyes open opposition !!!!!
Football should be tough and passionate !!!!

• Posted by: Joe Woodly on August 30, 2009 7:52 PM

Campbell Brown is a disgrace to AFL football. He had only eight possessions in the Hawthorn-Essendon match and his advocacy of violence in the 2010 season is totally unacceptable. His coach and president should apologise for their childish over-reaction to the Matthew Lloyd incident, which paralled the Lance Franklin incident they spent all the previous week trying to justify.

• Posted by: Angus McDonald on August 30, 2009 7:53 PM

Jack Sparrow, you clearly don't have a life. If lloydy has the heart of an ant that weasel Bateman and Brown wouldn't have heart of an ant between them not too mention brains. but then can be said for all the players and supporters of the hawks!! enjoy your september holidays there will be many more to come

• Posted by: SG on August 30, 2009 7:54 PM

Lloyd had a lot longer than Franklin to make his judgement and will miss next week's final and rightly so.

Too many concussions and you can book an early place in a dementia hostel, fractured eye sockets can leave you seeing double for life, broken necks and it may be good night nurse for good.

All sports have become "softer". Rugby scrums are not what they were, Rugby League head high tackles are penalised far more with sin bins and suspensions, American football is also cutting down on head high tackles. Soccer introduced light waterproof balls because of concerns over dementia from long careers of heading heavy waterlogged balls. Even so Dutch studies found professional soccer players who played forward or back and high rates of heading and head clash concussion scored lower on memory tests than midfielders who had less heading and less head clashes.

So get over it. All sports are reflecting social attitudinal change, that severe crippling injury is not worth it for what in the end is really not war, just a game no matter how intensely played.

• Posted by: ruckrover on August 30, 2009 7:56 PM

Buddy - Cousins played in perth friday night. mostly contact with body on body, shoulder partially hit head.

Lloyd - Sewell, depressed cheekbone, fractured eye socket, operation. 99% contact shoulder on head. Gone oh by the way, anyone remember josh thurgood and lloyd's accidental hit with forearm guard. DOG

• Posted by: Bryan on August 30, 2009 8:03 PM

Hawthorn have turned "sniping" into and art form and Campbell Brown is one of the best exponents. I don't for one second agree with his assessment and suggest that maybe he should stop throwing stones if he is going to live in a glass house. BTW, I support neither of these teams.

• Posted by: Garth on August 30, 2009 8:03 PM

Give Lloyd a break! Campbell Brown is just trying to divert Hawk's supporters anger at Lloyd, and away from the real cause of not qualifying, the Hawks players and management team themselves. Campbell Brown, act like a gentleman and lose gracefully!

• Posted by: Bill on August 30, 2009 8:05 PM

sour grapes! in the old days you'd either punch him out on the spot, or ....... wait until next time you played him and settle the score. Mal would be upset with his son.

• Posted by: ian on August 30, 2009 8:05 PM

Sniper call is too harsh. Llyod has been a great player for most of his career. Was the bump worse than Franklin's? Was it intentional? It happened in the first contest of the 2nd half, within the first 30 seconds. Maybe after doing nothing in the first half and getting a well deserved spray from the coach, he had only one thing on his mind. 3 games?

• Posted by: SpotOn on August 30, 2009 8:07 PM

Bomber fans, take a deep breath and stop making the easy uneducated call of "double standards, no different to Buddy's bumb, bla bla bla"!

I was at both games and can categorically say the 2 bumps were chalk and cheese. Buddy's was an in play contest which wouldn't have cause any further talk had Cuz not been concussed. A genuine bump to win the footy.

I watched Lloyd however run straight at the pack desperately wanting to hit any midfield Hawk, he got his man and it's the only thing he did all day!

He realised that he wasn't really needed in his side and did what he could to get them into the finals, knowing all along he'd miss games for it. He can probably thank his coach for setting him up too!

As for Brown's comments, some thug knocked him out, conveniantly there is no footage of it, and he probably was so wound up that he shouldn't have even been doing media appearences.

Good Luck next week Dons, Adelaide will send you back down to earth.

• Posted by: Matt on August 30, 2009 8:07 PM

Seems Hawthorn's 'unsociable football' has caught on and they don't like being on the receiving end! What goes around comes around in Hawthorn's case. It's ironic in the extreme that 'hard man' Campbell Brown would be so upset with Lloyd given how he plays the game himself.

• Posted by: jon on August 30, 2009 8:16 PM

Sniper? - did Lloyd bump him from an invisible part of the field. A sniper is someone who spots and picks off enemies from a concealed place.

So to the sook Campbell Brown if you want to name call/label somneone you should at least get it right to at least make your pathetic argument make some sense.

How ironic coming from a man who goes out of his way to play like a weak dog constantly and "snipers" people regularly to come out and cry when the shoe is on the other foot. I wonder if Chance Bateman is a so called "sniper?"

You also had 2 quarters to get your so called revenge. Instead you go around slapping people. Classic cat fight material that is.

Enjoy mad monday, I'll send you some tissues.

• Posted by: T-Ray on August 30, 2009 8:16 PM

Claims Lloyd was pushed are spurious. He lined up Sewell and knew exactly what he was doing. Those saying there is no difference between Buddy's and Lloyd's case are not looking at the incidents objectively. Cousins was upright and watching Buddy coming (in fact attempting to evade Buddy) when he was hit through the shoulder chest and head in a classic 'shirt-front'. In the Lloyd case, Sewell had his head over the ball and was hit directly and deliberately through his head. Buddy was careless and deserves his time, Lloyd was careless and and deserves the tag of gutless.

• Posted by: Dave on August 30, 2009 8:18 PM

given the BS that happened to Buddy...THE SNIPER should get 2-weeks...

• Posted by: CD on August 30, 2009 8:21 PM

geez this is great reading,hawks supporters sook more than my 2 yr old.... you sound like a team that relies on one man, and he was in the stands for doing exactly what lloyd did....get some pride hawks and stop making pathetic excuses for a dismal year

• Posted by: m on August 30, 2009 8:22 PM

Should we start wearing pads and helmets like American football

• Posted by: ian on August 30, 2009 8:25 PM

The only SNIPER we should be concerned with is the one who started all this - Nick Maxwell. Well done Nick with your bulls eye hit to McGinnetey. And well done to your boss for hooking up with a QC to get you off. Only problem now you pair of smarty pants is the rules are changed and the game is broken,,just like that kid's jaw.

• Posted by: William on August 30, 2009 8:31 PM

Your right Campbell he has always been a sniper about time someone pointed it out!

• Posted by: Sainta on August 30, 2009 8:31 PM

comments made by some bomber supporters that llyod was pushed in the bavk moments before he made contact are absolute rubbish.Llyod was not pushed but deliberately lined up the hawk player to try and take him out of the game. he succeeded.He has always been and always will be a sniper of the game and he will not serve any suspension next year as i believe that he will retire.I support neither team and as for essendon,well they have won less games than they have lost and will be nothing but nuisance value in the finals.Their first game will be their last this year.

• Posted by: Peter Thomas on August 30, 2009 8:32 PM

Matthew Lloyd's conduct as a player and person never questionable, the incident could occur many times in any game of AFL. However, Campbell Brown's unsportsmanlike Physical, verbal attacks and threats on Lloyd and other Bombers players should have had him dragged off the ground. If he was at any other club he would have. Slapping players, pointing, threats and cursing is not what we as suporters on this great game need to be subjected to. Campbell Brown an embarrassment on and off the field!

• Posted by: Kez on August 30, 2009 8:45 PM

Great to see a real physical game, loved it. Pity to see anyone injured, either team was doomed to meet Adelaide at home who are a bit of a chance for the flag.
Always considered Lloyd to be soft so his bump was a surprise, he looked sorry, guilty and scared immediately with the umpire yelling at the runner to get him off. We all make mistakes, he will probably get 5-6 weeks and retire - not a great way to finish. Hawks have a great chance now to get our young team patched up and healthy for 2010 - will we be favorites again I would bet with a full healthy list.

• Posted by: john on August 30, 2009 8:51 PM

Cannot believe the hypocrisy of Hawthorn supporters and players. They seem to have forgotten Leigh Matthews going to court and being convicted for breaking Geelong's Neville Bruns jaw at Princes Park in June, 1985. As for Campbell Brown if the dictionary had pictures and you looked up the word "jerk" there would be a photo of him.

• Posted by: Wendy Andrews on August 30, 2009 8:52 PM

To all the bombers fans who are thinking that we lost because Buddy wasn't there PLEASE READ - We weren't pissed that it was Buddy that got rubbed out we were pissed that the bump is now dead and wont be back.
Fairs fair!
After what happened to Buddy, Lloyd should be rubbed out as that is the line the tribunal & the AFL have gone down. Regardless of you the player was this is the way it now stands.

• Posted by: Bianca Iwasiw on August 30, 2009 8:53 PM

Lloyd - first a diver, now a thug. Hope Essendon get smashed next week.

• Posted by: Swans fan on August 30, 2009 8:54 PM

The disappointing thing about this is that Lloyd has been a terrific player but he does have a history of taking cheap shots at blokes with their eyes on the ball. I wonder if anyone in the media will have the guts to admit this?

• Posted by: Graeme on August 30, 2009 8:54 PM

Watching the replay,it is obvious Lloyd changed direction in order to bump Sewell. Lloyd also pushed upward through the contact. You could see him rising as his right leg straightened at the knee. How could a man who was supposedly pushed from behind and is falling,as some would suggest, e.g. Michael 11:58am, be able to hit an opponent in the cheek with such severity as to force the latter's head UP and BACK at the same time?
To all who are remotely interested in our great game, and even you red and black eyed supporters, I suggest you look more closely at the replay. And a course in elementary physics wouldn't go astray (or would it? Hmm..) if you intend to push the line "Lloydy was pushed" or "Lloydy was falling".
Pathetic the way you are spinning this unforgivable incident. Lloyd could easily have reached out to tackle Sewell or like anyone who is off balanced, by a push or otherwise, put his hands and arms out in front of him to soften the impact and slow the momentum. He did neither, preferring to shoulder the defenceless victim in the head.
Oh yes, I am an Hawthorn supporter and IMMENSELY PROUD TO BE ONE!

• Posted by: Al on August 30, 2009 9:03 PM

Lloyd is no sniper. He has taken some huge hits this year, eyes only for the ball. His collision with Judd is an example. When he struggles to get into the game he looks to exert some physicality. It's part of the game. A sniper is someone who looks for retribution before the ball has even been bounced...

• Posted by: snaporaz on August 30, 2009 9:10 PM

Neither Franklin or Lloyd should be suspended, it is supposed to be a contact sport.
Is Lloyd a sniper? Definitely!!
A man of big image and low character, as soft as a three day old burrito who loves to try and whack a small bloke and puff his chest out.

• Posted by: wombat on August 30, 2009 9:12 PM

no way

• Posted by: jack on August 30, 2009 9:17 PM

Lloyd has never received the scrutiny he deserves.
A couple of years ago he broke an arm and came back weeks later wearing an AFL approved arm brace / protection, which he promptly wrapped around the Hawthorn full-back's (Dawson I thnk)gob. Dawson had broken bones, his attempt to establish an AFL career at Hawthorn was derailed and Lloyd played on unpenalised.

I've never been a fan of Lloyd's and if he plays on, perhaps it is time to distribute some well-deserved rough justice.
Personally, Brown is one Hawthorn player (nutter) I wouldn't want chasing me!

• Posted by: Pab on August 30, 2009 9:18 PM

I remember Carey being knocked by Knights early in the 1983 Grand Final. There is a litany of Hawthorn hit-men since then. They even charge at you during the quarter breaks!
Lloyd held his line and a Hawthorn player got a wack. Go back and look at the Brereton elbows ya wingers.

• Posted by: Ron Rumble on August 30, 2009 9:19 PM

Lloyd laid a bump o Sewell which went wrong, but hese unfortunate accident happen in footy.

LOL at the Hawks double standards when they were crying over a similar incident only last week!

Good grief.

• Posted by: jason phillips on August 30, 2009 9:20 PM

There was a big difference between Franklin's bump and Lloyds. Cousins is a much smaller player who was off balance and spinning away from a tackle. If you carefully watch Franklin , Cousins actually spins towards him, and Franklin's bumps him as a last resort. Lloyd motors straight into Sewell through a pack with only one thought in mind. As someone who is not a Hawthorn supporter I agree - Lloyd is a sniper, a whinger and should cop at least 2 weeks for an intentional head high tackle.

• Posted by: Lyndon on August 30, 2009 9:25 PM

Everyone knows Jarred Waite is the biggest sniper in the league.

• Posted by: Michael on August 30, 2009 9:26 PM

Hawthorn's reaction to all this shows what a feeeble club they really are. The coach , the president and that weak minded fool Brown have embarrassed and damaged the club. You weren't good enough... end of story. Lloyd a sniper.. that's a laugh. You are killing your own club with all this nonsense. Essendon will play finals and Hawthorn won't. Accept it and move on. Pack of whingers

• Posted by: ben on August 30, 2009 9:27 PM

Interesting reviewing all the comments but if the bumps issued by both Franklin and Lloyd we dished out 10 years ago would have they be deemed then heroes? There are better hits in netball these days and maybe the alternative sport to watch!

• Posted by: James on August 30, 2009 9:34 PM

If a week is a long time in politics then it's an eon in footy. After spending all week bleeding about Franklin's bad treatment at the hands of the AFL they want the blood of the man who did exactly the same to them.

What lost Hawthorn the game was not Lloyd's bump but their hippocritical reaction to it. Franklin's bump turned the game the Hawks way last week (2 goals from the incident). Instead of getting on with it the cry-babies went the slap and the Bombers stepped up to play - the rest is history.

Bateman enjoy watching the first 4 games from the boundary next year, there is the real sniper of the game.

Good riddance for 2009 Hawks.

• Posted by: LongTime on August 30, 2009 9:34 PM

I am no great Matty LLoyd fan because I reckon he squeals for free kicks but I didnt see that what he did as being intentional
Moreover of all teams the Hawks are in the weakest position to complain about rough footy
The Footy experts have diplomatically branded their footy style as "unsociable" I recall the 2007 Semi Final when my team the Kangaroos unexpectedly beat them Some three Hawks were reported and rubbed out for several weeks for the beginning of the next season Particuarly vicious was their series of punches and whacks on Brett Harvey the smallest North player
My advice to Hawthorn supporters is to recall and live up to the words of their own club song " riding the bumps with a grin "

• Posted by: Thomas Hogg on August 30, 2009 9:46 PM

Lloyd is gone for at least 6 weeks. seems like he was being used as cannon fodder to get rid of an opposition player who was killing essendon in the middle. all he is useful for these days really. i reckon by the end of next year lloyds shorts will be giving him an underarm rash.

• Posted by: ricardo on August 30, 2009 9:51 PM

So many armchair experts...how many of you have played at the intensity and PACE of the AFL?
If a faster, free flowing game is encouraged, we can't compare hits today to hardmen of the slower past.

• Posted by: Nathan on August 30, 2009 9:52 PM

Campbell Brown is not a sniper. Yes, he's done some things that I (as a Hawthorn supporter) wish he hadn't done. But he doesn't do them slyly. He doesn't fawn to the media and try to pretend he's something he's not. He says what he thinks - even when he knows it won't endear him to some of the footy world.

Compare this with Lloyd - who has a long history of dirty, often behind the play incidents, who is the master of the smarmy stunt stage-managed to make him look good (the phone call to Josh Thurgood after smashing his jaw - gee, how convenient that there just happened to be a news-camera right there when he made the call).

Lloyd is a coward and a sniper.

Unlike Browny, I hope Lloyd doesn't play next year. He is a blight on the game.

• Posted by: Chris on August 30, 2009 9:57 PM

Campbell Brown made a real fool of himself. What was all that chest thumping about and pointing to the Essendon bench? All he did when he got on the ground was slap Monfries on the arm. At least Chance Bateman took a cheap shot on Lloyd. Bateman will get a few weeks. Lloyd should get 1-2 weeks.

• Posted by: Priya on August 30, 2009 9:58 PM

Its all about intent.Lloyd has a history of cheap shots and thuggery, and his only intent was to run off the line, stick his shoulder in and inflict harm instead of bending over with courage and getting the ball. Jobe Watson(Sewells tag) had barely touched the ball to that point, and Sewell was killing it in the middle. But lets face it - Lloyd made a huge impact on the game and I wouldn't be surprised if it was something he plotted to do at half time considering he was having no effect on the game whatsoever. Hawthorn would have won if he hadn't done it, so Essendon are no doubt stoked that he did. He'll be rubbed out for 2 or 3 and Essendon wont miss him.

• Posted by: Lloyd is gone for good on August 30, 2009 10:01 PM

What goes around comes around hawks boys!It was a good bump simple as that just like last week.Hawks got a taste of there own medicine. What we did find out is that the hawks are sooks. And please Lloyd a hack!
926 goals No need to say anymore.

• Posted by: Luke on August 30, 2009 10:02 PM

13/22 Premiership players were absent V Essendon

Any person who accuses Hawthorn of luck last year needs their head examined.
They put their team in a position to have the opportunity for 'luck' to help them with the game that mattered.

St Kilda suffered a similar season past 2 years, heavy injuries and shift in players.

Hawthorn Injury List Premiership players
Mark Williams (knee) - test
Robert Campbell (finger) - TBC
Jarryd Roughead (knee) - TBC
Tim Boyle (knee) - season
Trent Croad (foot) - season
Xavier Ellis (ankle) - season
Brent Guerra (shoulder) - season
Rick Ladson (knee) - season
Cameron Stokes (knee) - season
Clinton Young (hip) - season
Updated August 25

Other Premiership players missing
Stuart Dew Retired
Shane Crawford Retired
Lance Franklin (a special thankyou to the Essendon supporters on the judicial board)

Along with the list of players and games played in 2009
4 players played more than 20 games

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/players/tabid/8324/category/senior/season/2009/default.aspx

Hawthorn highlighted in above lists shows barely half a football team

• Posted by: carl on August 30, 2009 10:09 PM

Hawthorn supporters want to have their cake and eat it too , arrogant to boot.

• Posted by: John Forsyth on August 30, 2009 10:18 PM

Brown has twice served four-game suspensions for striking Essendon players: he was outed for striking Jason Winderlich in 2004 (who had already been clobbered and was injured). The following year he was suspended for striking Lloyd.

Who is the sniper? Brown resorted to bitch slaps and stayed well clear of LIoyd for the 2nd half, contributing a big fat ZERO to his teams capitulation. Hawthorn hard man? Rocks in his head he has.

Who gouged Lovett-Murray in the eye yesterday? The footage will show it.

• Posted by: Hans on August 30, 2009 10:23 PM

Lots of Hawks making excuses for this game ... what about the other 12 games where you "under-performed ?"

• Posted by: Don Isgood on August 30, 2009 10:23 PM

This is the only code of football that is played at this level that does not adequately penalise a side on the day for incidents that can cause a game to completely turn around. Although I do not suggest for a moment that players go out there to deliberately hurt each other, if they do and it is severe enough (ie causing the opponent to be unfairly removed from the game) then they should suffer the same fate. That would even things up as it does in rugby, soccer, etc. Sure they get suspended AFTER the game but that does not help the team whose player it was that was injured as a result.

• Posted by: TK Hawk on August 30, 2009 10:24 PM

As a Crows fan - may he get one week.

• Posted by: Ian C on August 30, 2009 10:30 PM

Matthew Lloyd has been doing this all his career. He always seems to target players smaller them him . Last year he knocked out Juddy in a carlton game. I hope he gets what he deserves.

• Posted by: Geoff K on August 30, 2009 10:32 PM

CC you are a flog. How can you possibly defend Lloyd's actions? It was malicious and calculated, and has resulted in one of the games toughest ball players requiring surgery for multiple skull fractures. Lloyd will carry this incident with him into retirement, what a fantastic legacy to leave.

• Posted by: paul on August 30, 2009 10:42 PM

To all the Bomber fans carrying on about Lloyd being innocent and just a fair bump, let's see who'll have the last laugh this week when the tribunal (rightly) should out him for @ least 3-4 weeks!! And on top of that, let's see how far they go in the finals series - I'm betting first week and they're out!!! Just making up the numbers!!!

• Posted by: Asad Salem on August 30, 2009 10:45 PM

The AFL is in quite a tricky situation at the moment. Clearly, Lloyd's bump on Sewell was exacerbated by the push he received. The Match review panel could only assess it as such, playing the ball hard, pushed in the back at the wrong moment and here unlike Buddy, Lloyd did not have any other option. BUT the problem for the AFL is Hawthorn's actions during and after the match. Firstly, Campbell Brown's during the game antics would be a worry for any parent directing their son into the AFL style game. Secondly Chance Bateman's king hit should be dealt with severely and punishment be dealt worthy of a coward's act. Thirdly, Alister Clarkson should be fined heavily for bringing the game into disrepute. An AFL coach has enormous responsibility and Clarkson's tirade directed to Lloyd after the game was stupid, irresponsible and unprofessional. Lost all credibility!
Post game: Campbell's comments were defamatory and his thuggish threats warranting police investigation. If Mr Demetriou allows this to go through without any punative action to the Hawthorn FC then he too should be held accountable for bringing the game into disrepute.

• Posted by: Tonii Gramsci on August 30, 2009 10:52 PM

Sniper is a very serious term to use to describe someone. Brown should be penalised for making threats and damaging the reputation of the game, which is meant to be family friendly. A good sportsman knows that what happens on the field stays on the field-Browns comment is more cowardly than Lloyd will ever be.

• Posted by: Sportsmanship on August 30, 2009 10:52 PM

The difference between Franklin and Brown? Franklin is often doped up, whilst Brown is simply often a dope... Franklin frequents nightclubs, whilst Brown frequents the Girls Club. Franklin sets excellent goal kicking standards, whilst Brown sets new double standards. Franklin is often rough, but a goal hitter, whilst Brown thinks he is tough and a cowardly body hitter. Franklin needs to get a life, Brown probably hits his wife. I might not like Franklin but he is a star, whilst Brown reckons only violence will get you far... Franklins rises far far above mediocrity, whilst Brown wallows in hypocrisy. All that's left is Clarkson, who applauds his whingeing thugs, and to keep them all happy, tolerates the drugs...

• Posted by: Rogers on August 30, 2009 10:56 PM

Buddy got 2, Lloyd will probably get 4.What does it matter?
Essendon will be flogged by Adelaide next weekend, and Hawthorn have shown this season how they were simply a flash in the pan in 2008.
As for Campbell Brown, his mouth is bigger than his IQ.

• Posted by: Andy on August 30, 2009 11:01 PM

I have never seen such rubbish printed in the last 24 houts.

1) Look at the wide view of the incident. Shoemakers clearly pushes lloyd into sewell's way.

2) Lloyd's hands are forward like he is bracing to hit the ground. If he was going to smash sewell, he clearly would have braced himself

3) Campbell Brown is no better then his father. His Father was an animal and so is he. People in glass Houses shouldnt throw stones.

I hope Essendon takes the AFL and gets the case thrown out and they review this stupid law that is killing our game

• Posted by: Mr Reality on August 30, 2009 11:02 PM

Well, here's one from a Hawthorn supporter who was at the game (in the Members stand, surrounded by Bomber fans). It was a fair hit in the heat of battle, but Lloyd will be rubbed out just like Buddy, because of public pressure. The lack of effort in the first 10 minutes after 1/2 time did us, not what happened before. Sarah is right, Brown's invective has changed the game for my family too. How can the AFL stand by while a current player publicly threatens another with physical retribution? Andrew Demetriou, you've lost us. We'll be following another code in 2010.

• Posted by: Daemon on August 30, 2009 11:04 PM

It is appropriate that Campbell (son of Mal) Brown will be participating in ‘Mad Monday’. His behaviour during the game and afterwards on radio and TV was a disgrace. He has been one of the best “snipers” for a long time and does not have the right to accuse anyone of anything.
Surely the AFL must be looking at charging him for bringing the game into disrepute.

• Posted by: Paul on August 30, 2009 11:09 PM

The Hawks reaction to Lloyd's bump on Sewell has made them the laughing stock of the AFL. How hypocritical? The Hawks have been snipers for years - playing their (with a knowing smirk) - "unsociable football". I call it dirty play, roughing up players after goals, marks and freekicks - elbowing, jumping into their backs when they go to ground, jumper punching - you name it and the Hawks will proudly claim their unsociable football is the way to play our great game. From the Coach to the President and past players such as Dermie, Dipper, Matthews and Ayres, the club has developed a culture of bully boy sniper tactics. Look at how they cried about Buddy's bump last week with no concern about Cousin's injury, this week all they wanted to do was head hunt Lloyd like cowardly jackals. As for Brown calling Lloyd a sniper - I nearly fell of my chair laughing. Jeff recently claimed his boys were of better character than the Geelong boys - hello!
I am loving to see what goes around comes around, and Hawks you have been due for this for a long time.

• Posted by: Ozziebrian on August 30, 2009 11:11 PM

Campbell is such a hypocrite. The hawks didnt have an issue with tugh footy when they won the flag playing 'unsociable fooball', now the wheels have come off they have a little sook. Yes they were unlucky to lose buddy, but thats thetribunal for you, not Esendon's fault.

• Posted by: bomberbill on August 30, 2009 11:19 PM

Bring on Rivalry Round 2010.

• Posted by: Eagles on the Up on August 30, 2009 11:20 PM

As a Hawk supporter I think it is pretty shite - but you got to hand it to Essendon, it was probably the key turning point in the game. Not a big deal for Essendon to lose a struggling forward to suspension. Lloydys best days are well past him and they are probably better off without him.

• Posted by: Nigel on August 30, 2009 11:24 PM

I am a passionate and paid up Hawks member. Last week thousands of my fellow Hawks supporters were horrified when we learnt that due to what was a legal bump with accidental contact to the head of Ben Cousins, Buddy would be ruled out for two weeks. We all screamed that we would loose all respect for the game that was once the domain of the hard man and not the ballerina that the AFL apparently wants running around out there. Matthew Lloyd's bump was a hard one, and he will get a few weeks rest because of it, but would you hypocritical buffoons stop making the rest of us look like morons please? We either want a hard and tough game or we don't. Can't have both. Either Buddies and Lloyd's (pending) suspension were/are justified, or they are not. Campbell Brown should shut his stupid mouth too, because as Hawthorn supporters, missing out on a finals series all together directly after we were premiers is disgraceful. He's upset because Sewell got knocked out? Maybe he should be upset because this year we were pathetic and he was a big reason that we sucked so much. Had we won against Essendon, an extra week of kidding ourselves would have been the only reward.

• Posted by: Ben on August 30, 2009 11:37 PM

I believe Buddy and Lloyd are both guilty of having the intention to disadvantage their opponent from continuing on in the game due to injury.

I'm a Carlton supporter and i respect the skills of Hawks and Bombers, but i would be devastated if someone did that to a star such as Judd, murphy or Gibbs for example.

Another difference between the two incidents is that the "velvet sledgehammer" will get 4 weeks and that could be the end of his career, unlike Buddy who will play on.

• Posted by: cjudd on August 30, 2009 11:42 PM

Lots of to-fro about Lloyd, the incocent face who is never guilty of anything. Be a MAN Llyoyd, admit what you did was wrong & accept a week off.Alternatives: Retire in disgrace which you deserve; come back and face the true "hard" guys of the game.
LLOYD U ARE A DISGRACE TO THE UP COMING JUNIOR FOOTBALLERS, many of who modelled themselves upon you.

• Posted by: Indepentent on August 31, 2009 12:25 AM

Here's how I see it;

I've gone back and had a look at the replays of the Buddy and Lloyd incident and there are very clear differences. I still think the penalty for both of them should be the same, Lloyd will miss a couple of weeks for certain.

I'm reading a lot of Hawthorn supporters who are scrambling for ways in which Franklin's bump was a considerate and honourable featherstroke of contact in which he and Ben Cousins (who are both matched perfectly for height and weight) looked one another in the eye acknowledged each other's presence by which point Buddy smiled and nodded apologetically to Ben before gently caressing him to the ground. These same Hawthorn supporters paint the Lloyd incident like this: Tiny Brad Sewell quietly goes about his business and as he runs with the ball smiles to himself and bends down to pick a flower from the turf of the MCG. Meanwhile, the BEHEMOTH Matthew Lloyd snorts and kicks at the ground charging at Tiny Brad shattering his small frail body and laughing as he sends him into the dirt - he then takes the small daisy from the hand of Brad's broken body and eats it.

YOU GUYS ARE PATHETIC, BUDDY LINED COUSINS UP AND FLATTENED HIM. Similarly, are you serious about Lloyd picking on smaller players and not Franklin? Last I noticed Ben Cousins is really quite small while Buddy is really quite big and built like a brick sh*thouse. Similarly, I didn't really notice this at the game but Lloyd was very clearly pushed into the contact, where exactly was he supposed to put his arms. Was he supposed to leave them all flapped out like a chicken and hit Sewell with his elbow?

To Campbell Brown; do I recall correctly that you and Vandenberg held an Essendon player down in 2004 and took turns at pummelling him while he was overpowered? You are so pathetic. Enough said.

But finally the answer to the question posed here; "is Lloyd a sniper?". Yes in some ways he really is, but on Saturday we saw something far from sniping if you consider the consequences that will follow. If Matthew Lloyd really did line up Brad Sewell and take him out then he would be aware of the penalty that awaits him considering the media for the past week on the Franklin bump. He would also be aware that Hawks would be out for his blood if he wiped out a member of their team. We're talking about the first time Essendon play finals since 2004 and if Lloyd was prepared to miss that to give his team a shot is far from cowardly. But I really wonder if he is that brave and was making that much of a sacrifice. He is not a quick man Lloydy and the game is so very fast that it is difficult to just line a player up and take them out. it's not ten-pin bowling, players are moving all over the place - I think those Hawks supporters who talk about it as if he took a run up from 10 metres because he knew Brad Sewell would be right there at that time are giving the man that they are hanging sh*t on too much credit.

• Posted by: CR on August 31, 2009 12:57 AM

To all those whingeing Hawthorn supporters, YOU MAKE ME SICK.

It's very easy to blame others, but the reality is that Hawthorn lacked discipline when the game was still in the balance, and this was clearly reflected on the scoreboard.

Matthew Lloyd will cop it on the chin when the time comes, but to single him out and blame him for ending Hawthorn's 2009 season is absurd.

Campbell Brown (and his thuggery entourage) single-handedly lost the game for Hawthorn.

• Posted by: Nick on August 31, 2009 1:12 AM

Totaly lost all respect for hawthorn in the aftermath to Matty Lloyds hit.. From Campbell brown dancing round like a monkey slapping essendon players to all the comments after..

Lloydy will b suspended but only to be consistent with the ruling on buddy.. Neither should have been put on report..

This game is quickly turning out be an embarrasment.. Won't be long till they bring in the contact rule like in
netball.. Wouldn't be surprised if they trialled it in the nab cup next yr..

• Posted by: BJ on August 31, 2009 1:15 AM

Geez, I can't help but laugh at all of the Hawks and Blues and Pies supporters getting stuck into Lloyd. He'll get rubbed out, no doubt, but you're missing the bigger picture here. The game is being sanitized and unfortunately it will keep evolving to something like basketball. Wake up, people! Well done Lloydy for setting an example for your team.

• Posted by: Big Tex on August 31, 2009 1:50 AM

If there are two people who were BORN to play and coach the Hawks,it is Son Of Mal,and the "Battle Of Britain" Hero of Infamy...
Brown in the "line in the sand" game certainly proved his worth as a "sniper",when Winderlich was leaving the field of "play" that day, and it was a "king hit" against a Carlton player in the London game when the present day Hawk coach was a player.
Brereton performed pretty much the same bump against Van Der Haar in the final at Waverley 20 years ago,and the Hawthorn crowd thought it was terrific. There was much gloating last year at the unsociable football brand that was played in their premiership year,but now "how dare we cop it" by the two faced coach and son of the dirtiest player i ever witnessed play.... (1974 Windy Hill), The Elbow that Stoneham copped at Princess Park,What happened to Watson in the 1983 GF,and the "line in the sand game" will live in infamy Hawthorn, so shut your mouths and accusations and "threats",when one of your players JUST receives a bump...

• Posted by: Noel Leonor on August 31, 2009 2:45 AM

Brown's public outburst is poor form but forgivable in my opinion. Player's get caught up in the emotion of the game. He should have used the emotion to hit the bomber's where it hurt (the scoreboard) rather than looking for some retribution against one player. I'm not a don's fan at all, but I don't really think Matthew Lloyd is a particularly dirty player.

Clarkson's attitude is less forgivable. The side has under-performed all year, and while one can look at injuries and make excuses, that can only get you so far. A good team and a young team defending its premiership has no excuse for missing the top eight. One could argue that the Lions had a worse injury list all year and are not nearly as far in their development as the Hawks and Vossy still coached them to a home final in the first round. The coach has to be a stabilizing force in the locker room, channeling his player's emotions toward the only goal that matters (winning). Ultimately games are won and lost by the players, but the coach can go a long way by setting the right example through his conduct. The best example would have been to congratulate Essendon for winning and to vow to work towards next year with a healthy list of players.

• Posted by: Aaron on August 31, 2009 2:49 AM

There is no comparison between Buddy's bump and Lloyds's. Cousins was knowingly trying evade Buddy and juggling the ball when Buddy made the sensible decision to bump rather than tackle, and risk a holding the man decision. Lloyd lined up Sewell from 20 metres away while he had his head down over the ball with no idea of what was coming at him. That's what maeks it cowardly. If Buddy got two, Lloyd should get six. I am a Hawthorn supporter, and Rohan Connolly old mate, you ought to declare your interest as a bombers fan.

• Posted by: Tim Baker on August 31, 2009 5:34 AM

This time last year Hawthorn were pumping themselves up as being the tough side and Geelong a weak.... now the boot is on the other foot they don't handle it so well... especially from a side that has a thuggery history such as Hawthorn..... Matthews, Breraton, Scott, Dipper... the lsit goes on. And as for the pumped up gorilla Brown, what a goose. Tough is head over the ball, not making threats.

• Posted by: Roger Drew on August 31, 2009 5:36 AM

I am neither Hawthorn nor Essendon follower, but cannot help to comment. Brown and Clarkson and Hawthorn received, indirectly, something they have dished out for many years and don't seem to like it. Like all schoolyard bullies. It's just a pity it was Brad Sewell (he should not be at Hawthorn anyway) on the receiving end and who is a fine and fair footballer, like Mathew Lloyd. Let Lloyd play in the finals. It was an accident.

• Posted by: Swansong on August 31, 2009 5:57 AM

As a CArlton supporter I have no love for LLoyd but he should not be suspended. Clarkson should be reminded of his sniping in the battle of Britain, he is in no position to comment on LLoyd

• Posted by: John McMillan on August 31, 2009 6:24 AM

yes cowardly Lloyd is a sniper. He's done it previously - remember Chad Cornes and players from both Carlton and Brisbane.
He deserves everything he gets

• Posted by: Darcy on August 31, 2009 6:27 AM

The major difference between the Cousins and Sewell's hit ............Cousins was running around baulking and trying to dodge tackles.
Sewell on the other hand had just picked the ball up and had raised his head

Is it a coincidence that Sewell was Hawthorns best player until half time?

Is it a cioncidence that Lloyd did exactly the samer thing to Josh Thurgood 3 years ago?

Is it a coincidence Thurgood also fractured a cheekbone?

Hence Campbell Browns comments

Lloyd is a weak dog had no intention of trying to pick up the ball and his only intention was to take someome out and try to shift the momentum Essendons way
For such a "champ" why didnt he just kick goals?
couldnt get a kick......the game has passed him so its the only way he can influence a game these days is with cheap shots

'

• Posted by: andrew on August 31, 2009 6:47 AM

That bump changed the momentum of the game! I thought it was fantastic that the captain of the club lead by example after halftime and attacked the contest fiercely and set the tone for his younger team mates to follow. Well done Lloydy! We can play your game of unsociable football to Hawthorn!

• Posted by: Lucas Murphy on August 31, 2009 6:50 AM

Campbell Brown needs to have a look in the mirror. He has a poor disciplinary record against the Bombers and he was one of the reasons they were beaten on Saturday.

Took his and other team members' focus off the game and helped Essendon win.

Thanks Campbell.

• Posted by: Stop the Rot! on August 31, 2009 7:00 AM

Are you Hawks fans for real?
Can you spell Hypocrisy?
Nice Bump Lloyd, unfortunately you will be taking a holiday but at least you wont piss and moan about it like Franklin and the crappy team at Hawthorn. And watch out Lloydy I think Browny is hanging round your house coz you disrespected his boyfriend.
Go Tiges.

• Posted by: EL OH EL on August 31, 2009 7:24 AM

This is Rubbish.Channel Nine Sunday Footy Show clearly ran the incident on TV 4 times.
It shows clearly that Lloyd bump on Sewell was caused by Lloyd's opponent pushing him into his path as they approached each other head-on.
Sewell also leans his head forward at the same time.
Campbell Brown should calm down and look at the incident closely before making these his threaths.

Buddy Franklin should not have been suspended and neither should have Mathew Lloyd.

• Posted by: Ange of Melbourne on August 31, 2009 7:29 AM

This is Rubbish.Channel Nine Sunday Footy Show clearly ran the incident on TV 4 times.
It shows clearly that Lloyd bump on Sewell was caused by Lloyd's opponent pushing him into his path as they approached each other head-on.
Sewell also leans his head forward at the same time.
Campbell Brown should calm down and look at the incident closely before making these his threaths.

Buddy Franklin should not have been suspended and neither should have Mathew Lloyd.

• Posted by: Ange of Melbourne on August 31, 2009 7:29 AM

Amusing to read so many comments based on pure emotion and pure disregard for fact. Fact is Sewell copped one to the head, Lloyd caused it. Anything further than that is for the tribunal to decide. Saying it was intentional, is was premeditated at half time etc is pure speculation. As far as im concerned, its the same as Buddy i.e. against the rules (as much as I dont always agree the rules are in the best interests of the game). As for Campbell Brown, that is some of the most embarassing/disgusting on field behaviour I have seen from a footballer, especially one who doesnt exactly have the worlds best record in these sorts of matters. Is Lloyd a sniper?? No. Go look the word up in a dictionary beore you care to say otherwise.

• Posted by: Ben on August 31, 2009 7:31 AM

Hawks are the biggest sooks in the league. First we had the Buddy whinge. Boo-hoo. A week later, the boot is on the other foot and Lloyd is a sniper. Now Clarko, magnanimous in defeat as always, claims “we didn’t deserve to be in the 8 but neither did Essendon”. What a you sore loser. Time for all the moaning Hawthorn people and their grandstanding QC’s to be quiet!!! You had your glory last year now welcome to ninth. I hope it is a long stay.

• Posted by: Ash on August 31, 2009 7:38 AM

this is football isn't it! what is the game coming to. i'm a bomber supporter and both franklin's and lloydy's bumps were fair!hawks get a life.

• Posted by: pat on August 31, 2009 7:38 AM

It's quite interesting looking at the range of comments over this, and more than anything else it confirms one thing. Football is a game played and followed largely on emotion, which is fine, but let’s not point fingers and turn it into he said she said. I was at the ground and saw a good contest with a lot of emotion in it, especially early in the third quarter, and it was a good contest. I think clubs need to look at who they allow to do interviews after a game and in what circumstances. When Campbell Brown came back on after getting his cut attended to you could tell the reporters were going to target him straight after the game, and the club should have seen that was going to happen and made sure it didn't. If you'd have asked him the same questions on Sunday morning I could almost guarantee you'd get a very different answer, and while I don't condone Brown's comments I admire his intensity in a game.

• Posted by: Mark on August 31, 2009 7:39 AM

Very difficult for Rohan (Essendon fan) to comment on Haw v Ess rivalry in an objective way. Hawks fans remember the brutality of the Dons in the 80's and the disgraceful pre GF police investigation inspired by Sheedy. Bombers will get murdered in Adelaide!!!

• Posted by: Lacho on August 31, 2009 7:52 AM

When an about-to-retire thug can change the course of a game that determines whether his team goes to the finals by a viscious and cowardly attached on an unprotected player going for the ball, and retire happy with his actions - it is time to bring in the order-off rule.

• Posted by: ron hunt on August 31, 2009 7:53 AM

I think Lloyd's bump was fair and he will get 2 - 3 weeks. But then again, Lloyd may get off because he is Matthew Lloyd.

• Posted by: Keith on August 31, 2009 7:54 AM

Quote "One, we are not happy with the attack on the character and integrity of our captain". Well Mr Hamilton ( Essendon's football operations manager ) Matthew Lloyd's character and integrity is evident for all to see. Just look at the hit on Sewell. Lloyd has been charging opponents is vulnerable positions for 12 years. Give him 5 weeks to THINK about his dangerous actions.

• Posted by: Ben on August 31, 2009 7:54 AM

Congratulations Essendon, you deserve to make the finals (for 1 week anyway).Matty Lloyd, retire, you are a has-been whose only contribution for the game was to knock out Hawthorns best player. Can't wait till next season, Hawthorns best 22 will easily smash Essendons, ROLL ON 2010!

• Posted by: DL on August 31, 2009 8:01 AM

Don fan's seem to think, that just because Brown has taken people out (according to them) that it somehow makes what he said about Lloyd untrue

The fact is that Lloyd is the biggest sniper of this era -- and a coward.

The evidence is there for all to see. It wont take long before there's a plethora of montages on youtube, showing every one of his dog-act's, including some of the "less publicized" ones. That ought shut up the one-eyed Essendon supporters who have a rose coloured view of his past.

His behavior on the field during his career is indefensible. Blokes like that should be screened out of the AFL for ethical reasons.

• Posted by: Damien on August 31, 2009 8:11 AM

Ridiculous. Why are we defending a callous and pre-meditated attack by Lloyd? Why should Hawthorn defend itself? Lloyd is over-rated and has histroy. Sewell is consistently one of the best for the Hawks and never more so than when the side is heavily depleted - so Llloyd decides to take him out. Good way to end a career!

• Posted by: Matt on August 31, 2009 8:13 AM

Accusations of hypocrisy work both ways in the this debate. Was Sheedy's cut throat action unacceptable and petulant, or justified actions of a coach sticking up for his player? Was James Hird's outburst against an umpire an attack on the person's integrity or the righteous truth? Was Sheedy's dismissal of North Melbourne as marshmallows churlishness or just all in good fun? If we went through Rohan Connolly's news archive would we see him similarly outrages by any of these actions? Campbell Brown shouldn't have said what he said because unfortunately it has enabled lazy journalists to take their eye off the fact that a player cam off the line to hit another player in the head.

• Posted by: Nick on August 31, 2009 8:14 AM

Expressing passion about AFL is what we all live and breathe. This is the exact reason why you are all posting comments on such a nothing topic.

Why muzzle Campbell Brown and other players by restricting their ability to communicate their passion. All those against what happened on the weekend must enjoy their bland lives and I suspect have not played a game of football in their lives. Mateship and comradery is what football is about....one incident on a football field can carry on for years. Campbell Brown is the perfect example of this and if I were Lloyd, would hang up my boots on the premise that the "velvent sledgehammer" will get one back.

I too would be seething if an opposition player cleaned up one of my teammates and would personally target him next season (regardless if intentional or not). That is what football is about....that rule is implicit in any game of football and that is what each player signs up to....only difference in this is Campbell openly expressed his opinion and put the challenge out there.....again, this is the reason why I must emphasize that those against Campbells comments have not played a game of football and just don't understand what such an incident means to the entire team.

Well done Campbell....takes alot of courage to come out and show your commitment to your team mates both on and off the field

• Posted by: john on August 31, 2009 8:21 AM

Its funny now that all the Essendon supporters are now coming out of the woodwork saying that Buddy shouldn't have been suspended now that Matthew Lloyd is in the same situation. Pull one of your heads in Essendon and face up to the fact that Matthew Lloyd will face the same fate as Buddy - probably even worse!!

• Posted by: Steve on August 31, 2009 8:24 AM

Campbell Brown, Alistair Clarkson - you winging hypocrites! 2008; Hawthorn the club with the most suspensions and the most players on 90 points; 2004 Brown punches an already concussed Winderlich to the back of the head as he is already being helped from the ground. 1997 Clarkson punches Aitken behind play and breaks his jaw. It was the start of the quarter, everyone was charging for the ball and Sewell got collected - well boo hoo Hawks - go back to being called the Mayblooms!

• Posted by: Dave on August 31, 2009 8:26 AM

Campbell Brown is the most overrated player in the competition. Toughness is confused with school yard bully tactics. Tough players are champs that put up with getting scragged each week. eg Gary Ablett, Nathan Buckley. Campbell Brown is a puffed up bantam rooster who loves a cheap shot. What a wanker!

• Posted by: madpie on August 31, 2009 8:28 AM

Rohan Connelly is an Essendon supporter and his comments should be viewed in that context - very rich of Rohan to talk about sour grapes. As a Hawk supporter I loved the passion on display and am sick of the media whinging that the players give them nothing and when they give them something they whinge and carry on and then wonder why the players give them nothing. Unlike Franklin, Lloyd ran into the square at the bounce with intent only for the man, not the ball. It's just lucky for Lloyd that the ball was within cooee otherwise he'd be looking at 6-8 weeks plus as opposed to the 3-4 he'll probably get and deservedly so.

• Posted by: Jason Smith on August 31, 2009 8:37 AM

Hey Jack Sparrow Loyd is no fairy boy,check his footy record out AND of course it was achieved against the best full backs including the FBOTC in Silvagi when the days of scragging and arm chopping were allowed...enuff said eh!

• Posted by: usgryphons on August 31, 2009 8:41 AM

Hypocrytical rubbish from Brown.LLyod's act was reckless but not malicious - just like Franklin's If you choose to bump a player, it is your responsibility to avoid the head. LLoyd failed to do so and will therefore get what he deserves at the tribunal - just like Buddy. Hopefully, Essendon will accept the verdict with more dignity than the Hawks showed in relation to Franklin. To allege without any evidence that LLoyd is a serial thug is out of line,especially when it comes from a guy who, himself, is one of the few genuine thugs left in the game. If Brown was so desperate to square up, he had a half a game to do it, but instead,threatens a bloodbath next time the teams meet. Thats despicible.If everyone had Brown's attitude, the square ups would never end. You didn't see the Eagle's coming out with this kind of rubbish after Hall's hit on Staker,or St Kilda making threats after Johnson and Michael assaulted Riewoldt's injured shoulder - things whioh were worse than what LLody did. because they deliberately malici,us.

• Posted by: Jerry on August 31, 2009 8:43 AM

Dear Hawthorn,
Ever heard of Karma? what comes around, goes around.
Campbell Brown, you dont have to look far to see some of the biggest snipers going around.
Boo Hoo.

• Posted by: anibal on August 31, 2009 8:45 AM

The Hawks are the greatest side in the competition and Alistair is a great coach and stands up for the players and the club.Brad Sewell is one of the gutsiest players at Hawthorn.We are better than these lowlifes.I have been a Hawks fan for 40 years.We will avenge the 1984 Grand Final loss and other travesties in 2010.GO HAWKS

• Posted by: Chris Gowing on August 31, 2009 8:47 AM

Nor should we forget when Tim Watson was King Hit in the 1983 Grand Final by Hawthorns Robertson and Van Der Har taken out/concussed by Dermot Brereton in another Final. Lest We Forget.

• Posted by: David Mahoney on August 31, 2009 8:55 AM

I am not a Hawthorn supporter. I am passionate about The Age as the highest quality newspaper in the nation.
Rohan Connolly has succumbed to his personal love of the Bombers with a one-sided article that was more akin to those passionate articles of omission that infiltrate the "Little Paper" under the name of that sad, sad man Andrew Bolt.
Perhaps Rohan, a fine journalist when discussing anything not involving Essendon, should consider standing himself down for a week unless he can present both sides of the argument by listing Matthew Lloyd's past transgressions (most notably his smashing of Josh Thurgood's jaw using a forearm protector) and the reasons why he is known as the "Velvet Sledgehammer".
One last observation - several times pictures of a brawl have been spread across the width of a page in The Age (1) Hawthorn vs Essendon 2009 (2) Line in the sand game Hawthorn vs Essendon (3) Grand Final - Essendon vs Collingwood (4) Windy Hill barney - Richmond vs Essendon. Any common denominator?

• Posted by: JOHN PECK on August 31, 2009 8:55 AM

Rohan Connelly, the mouth piece of the EFC.
Sewell had his head over the pill and Lloyd came off the line and cleaned him up, nothing like the Franklin/Cousins incident.
I wonder what Josh Thurgood's jaw thinks of Lloyd's integrity and standing in the game.

• Posted by: Won a flag lately, Dons? on August 31, 2009 8:58 AM

Essendon were too good on the day and Lloyd will get 3-4 weeks which he deserves after the precedent of the previous week. But as for those gutless Essendon morons standing behind the goals in the Southern Stand chanting "Goodbye, Goodbye" as a guy is getting carted off the ground unconscious is the most despicable display I have seen in 30 years of attending football. Hope these clowns spend 2 grand each on airfares to Adelaide & cop a 150 point hiding for their trouble.

• Posted by: James on August 31, 2009 9:00 AM

Yes he is a sniper. If you want to facts review the last 5 games between Hawthorn and Essendon which Lloyd has played in.

• Posted by: Andrew on August 31, 2009 9:01 AM

Matthew Lloyd is an egotistical arse and a dirty player. I hope the Bombers crash and burn in their first final ... they don't deserve to be there because of what Lloyd did

• Posted by: Barry on August 31, 2009 9:03 AM

I do not follow either team, however if Lloyd receives a lesser penalty than Franklin It Stinks!!!

• Posted by: ceejay on August 31, 2009 9:03 AM

Its football. Its great! The passion shown from both teams. We can sit back and watch the slow motion reply and make our own decisons. Brown didn't have that luxury. Its great for footy, much better than the company line that gets thrown out with every other player.

• Posted by: Adrian on August 31, 2009 9:11 AM

The only good thing out of this whole caper is that Campbell Brown has finally been vindicated as an inept footballer and observer of the game. The 'tough' thing to do would have been to use the remaining quarter and a half to drag his side back into the contest given the magnitude of the game for both teams.

True to form though, he resorted to petty finger pointing rather than putting his head over the ball. Clarkson's bleating only reiterated his standing in the game as an irrelevant coward best remembered for king-hitting Ian Aitken rather than as a premiership coach. Whilst not a Lloyd fan, and generally an Essendon-hater, it is an insult that people the 'calibre' of Brown and Clarkson seek to besmirch the reputation of someone whose impact and legacy far outweighs theirs coombined.

• Posted by: Andrew on August 31, 2009 9:12 AM

Yeah Lloyds a sniper, but it's a bit rich of Brown to come out with the comment, he aint a saint either, but I can remember at least 10 incidents where Lloyd has taken out a midfielder over the ball......it's worse than Franklin's, 4 weeks for me..........and yes the bump is dead because you can't run the risk of making any high contact anymore (I saw 4 incidents on the weekend where players pulled out of contests).

• Posted by: Will on August 31, 2009 9:13 AM

Hawthorn spent last week whinging and moaning about Buddy. They cried with disbelief that the "bump" had gone. But when it is their player getting bumped, suddenly that gives Brown and Clarkson licence to forget the past and criticise the bump. Wake up Hawthorn, you pack of spoilt whingers! If you can't take it, don't dish it... Spend the pre-season as you normally do, working on your beloved tans.

• Posted by: Mark on August 31, 2009 9:13 AM

Can someone please tell me the difference between the Franklin and Llyod incidents?

To me they were both god old fashion shirtfronts that were both illegal because they were high. I don't think either was reckless nor do I think either should have been penalised by more than a free-kick. I agree that the head is sacrosanct and should be protected but cannot or at least should not legislate for every injury that occurs on the footy field.

To see a player hit the contest like Lloyd did is exactly what you would expect of your captain and an aspect of the game that i love. I cannot understand the hypocrisy emanating from some people on here, let alone Brown and Clarkson. Lloyd is a champion of the game and for all those armchair champions to suggest otherwise and worse to suggest he is a sniper undermines their argument

• Posted by: Paul on August 31, 2009 9:14 AM

I think the problem is Clarkson. His behaviour is reflected by his players !! No class and very little judgement is a dangerous combination

• Posted by: Davo on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

Was always going to be interesting how Hawthorn would react to this after one of their own faced a similar incident last week. They've shown themselves to be a bunch of hypocrits. Who does Campbell Brown think he is strutting around like a peacock pointing fingers. Some may call him honest. Most will call him W@*ker.

• Posted by: Travis Byron on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

All emotion aside....based on the current AFL climate Lloyd should get 3 weeks. But...Clarkson & Brown need to be careful as their slates will never be clean. At Least Lloyd took him out with a hip & shoulder and not a blindsided round arm that broke his jaw. Maybe Clarkson should go watch the video and reconsider his comments. As for Hawthorn, like most clubs who achieve the ultimate goal they have "hard nuts" that will deliver the physical stuff when needed. Matthews,Brereton,Guerra,DiPierdomenico,Brown,.....and the list gets longer the more you go into the history of these successful sides. So.....the Hawthorn Football Club should pull their heads in, cop their whack,train hard, get fit for next year and have another crack at it next year. Lets hope the Tigers can get a bit of that Hawthorn steel in them but have the respect and class of the boys from Kardinia Park who are still the yard stick.

• Posted by: Ray Flegg on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

Was always going to be interesting how Hawthorn would react to this after one of their own faced a similar incident last week. They've shown themselves to be a bunch of hypocrits. Who does Campbell Brown think he is strutting around like a peacock pointing fingers. Some may call him honest. Most will call him W@*ker.

• Posted by: Travis Byron on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

Cambell Brown has a high voice for a reason.

• Posted by: steve bridge on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

It's worse than Franklins, Sewell was playing the ball and Lloyd lined him up, Cousins had the ball and ran into Franklins path......4-5 weeks for me, but it doesn't matter for Essendon, think they are better without him, he's a liability really, especially with Hurley who will be a gun, as for the Sniper comment, yeah he is a sniper (of players over the ball who are considerably smaller than him), he's done it for years and a diver, no loss for essendon in my opinion

• Posted by: Dave on August 31, 2009 9:17 AM

It's hard, as a mad Hawk supporter, to be objective about this, but I'll try.

Is Lloyd a sniper? I don't like the guy, but I think that may be drawing a long bow. He's certainly got a reputation for diving - can't deny that. He plays over the edge sometimes - can't deny that. But sniper? I don't think so.

The bumps by Buddy and Lloyd are two different bumps. One was side, big guy vs little guy; the other was full steam ahead, head-on collision. A few years ago, Buddy would have got off, Lloyd would have been looking at one or two weeks.

Next, all those claiming that Lloyd was pushed. OK, I want you to do me a favor. Get a friend, go to a field, and both of you start running as fast as you can, one behind the other. After about five seconds, whoever is behind (the "chaser"), push the "chasee" in the back. What happens? Did he fall down? Did he stumble? One of those would have certainly happened. Now, go back to the video. Did Lloyd stumble? Did he fall down? No, he was running pretty hard the whole way. I think it's fair to say that Shoe did not push Lloyd. And only Lloyd can say whether it was deliberately done. But - Bombers down by 22 at halftime, at the first bounce, the captain comes out and "makes a statement"- coincidence? Hmmmm.

While I can't condone what Browny said, most Hawk supporters know that he can be a "shoot first, ask questions" kinda guy. When he's got the job on the mind, he is easily one of the hardest at the ball players we've got at the club. When he's more concerned about snotting his opponent is when Hawk supporters start calculating how many weeks he'll get. I don't know Browny so I can't say if he regrets those comments, but I'd bet, two days after the event, he's probably rethinking them. This probably applies to Clarko too.

Anyone who thinks Hawthorn fluked a premiership last year doesn't know football. Top two all year, and we caught the best team with their pants down on the day. Happened with Adelaide v North about a decade ago, so it happens. Let it go.

Who wants to bet that the AFL schedules a game between Haw/Ess within the first five rounds?

At the end of the day, we're out of the finals, Essendon is likely to get snotted by Adelaide (as Hawthorn would have, too), Lloyd'll probably go for 4, 3 with early plea, Bateman will probably get 3, 2 with early, Ryder will probably get 1, Browny will probably get something, disrepute maybe, the players will have a break, get back into preseason and work toward clubbing the living suitcase out of each other next year. As it should be.

• Posted by: HawkGuy on August 31, 2009 9:18 AM

In my opinion, it didn't seem a malicious or deliberate hit by Lloyd. He simply played the ball and was committed. Isn't that what our game is all about? I can't see what else Lloyd could do? Should he have just stepped aside and let Sewell have a clear run? He certainly didn't deliberately raise an elbow or shoulder. As far as the Hawks are concerned, poor form to react like they did. Especially as Brown is not exactly whiter than white....

• Posted by: paul on August 31, 2009 9:21 AM

Campbell Brown, You are not now and never have been anything more than a THUG. Fancy you of all people calling one the games gentleman a sniper. YOU AND YOUR CLUB ARE A DISGRACE. Can dish it out but cannot take it. Good on you Matty Lloyd for the tact you have displayed over the last few days..I don't know how you have not lost it on those COWARDS.

Happy Lions Fan.

• Posted by: Cem on August 31, 2009 9:22 AM

I think something that everyone has missed is that the ball was in dispute when Lloyd ran in. Sewell in the last few split seconds put his head over the ball and was hit. It's not like Lloyd has waited for Sewell to go for the ball then stepped in from a couple of metres away - he ran in from 20 metres away. Is Lloyd careless - yes. Is Lloyd a sniper - no.

• Posted by: NC on August 31, 2009 9:26 AM

Matthew Loyd is a dog and im glad his seasons over. i show no respect to rats. retire you old dog.

• Posted by: evan on August 31, 2009 9:27 AM

There is a difference between Buddy's hit and Lloyd's. Buddy didn't line Cousins up and if it wasn't for the huge height difference, wouldn't have had an argument to answer. Lloyd on the other hand lined Sewell up with no intent for the footy. Bye bye Lloyd and good riddance.

• Posted by: Rod in Box Hill on August 31, 2009 9:28 AM

Rohan Connelly, you should be ashamed of yourself. Possibly the most one-sided, obviously biased piece of writing i have ever had the misfortune to read. Calls were made to ban Eddie McGuire from the commentary box because his passion for his club was too obvious. Take note and refrain from writing about Essendon when the topic is this contentious. Your passion has got the better of you, just as it did Campbell Brown. BTW - I firmly believe there was nothing wrong with Buddy's bump on Cousins and he got two weeks. Lloyd is in deep trouble. I won't lower myself to your level by cataloguing his history,(he didn't get the nickname velvet slegehammer for nothing) or that of other Bombers players against the Hawks. Next time, leave the writing to someone who has both eyes open.

• Posted by: Heather Preston on August 31, 2009 9:29 AM

It was an ugly bump - but hey, it happens in footy sometimes. Brown (perhaps even Clarkson) need counselling - very ugly and unintelligent PR for the Hawks. Those grapes must be tasting VERY sour at Glenferrie. Was a hard bump - get over it and grow a couple.

• Posted by: Nordlinger on August 31, 2009 9:30 AM

The incident was no worse than Franklin's unlucky bump... even tho Franklin was all over Cousins back whilst he was still on the ground ...with knees in the back etc.
Get over it Hawthorn fan's!
I wish Franklin had played on Saturday... I reckon the result would have been the same.

• Posted by: Brian on August 31, 2009 9:32 AM

I think we need to be careful we don’t lose sight of the real issue here. Matthew Lloyd a player who had contributed nothing all game takes out illegally Brad Swell - a player tearing the Essendon midfield apart and one of the biggest contributors to hawthorn leading the game at halftime. Regardless of what you think of Lloyd before or after, its the action itself that’s the most damming indictment on the day.

• Posted by: J Drayton on August 31, 2009 9:34 AM

To compare the bumps between Franklin/Cousins and Lloyd/Sewell and draw them as level is just unbelievable. One basic difference is that Sewell had his head over the ball to pick it, he didn't deviate or fumble of drop his head as that clown Brian Taylor wants to suggest. Lloyd charged him, it wasn't reckless or careless - it was deliberate. And what mitigates this is that he does have form, it seems many people have forgotten what he did to Josh Thurgood a few years ago!
Is he a sniper, no. But he has a track record of charging people, whether he got reported or not - he did it.
I love the physicality of our game, I love bumps but I think there is a massive difference between the two incidents.
As for Campbell Brown, yes perhaps he overstepped the line, but at least he didn't roll out a series of ill felt platitudes that make our game boring. Rohan Connolly needs to get over himself and park his obvious dislike of Clarkson and have a good hard look at himself. So what if Clarkson abused Lloyd, he just caved in the face of a Hawthorn player and essentially won the game for Essendon with one dangerous and planned act. Did Knights tell his men to hit the Hawks harder because his nancy boys were getting nailed at every contest by a committed side. It wasn't Hawthorn's lack of endeavour in the second half that cost it the game, it was a lack of fresh legs.
Can't wait for the return clash nexct year, and I hope Lloyd plays on after his sis weeks on the sidelines because that will just add to it all.
And if Paul Hamilton thinks Brown was acting in a way to influence the tribunal, what does it say about Hamilton and Essendon's view of the tribunal process and its members. Surely his well measured comments were designed to do the same.
Defend Lloyd as much as you like, it was a dog act and deserves a long penalty.

• Posted by: Andrew on August 31, 2009 9:36 AM

Claims of hypocrisy are misplaced given that Franklin's bump connected incidentally with Cousins head, and for the record from a passionate Hawthorn member, he was rightfully suspended. Lloyd’s hit was a cheap shot which connected with Sewell's head only, breaking his cheek and eye socket. It is sad to see a former champion ruining his reputation with every additional mediocre game he plays. With Lloyd’s contribution to his team reduced to thuggery it is time to hang up the boots.

• Posted by: Stephen Willis on August 31, 2009 9:38 AM

Lloyd lined up Sewell off the point of the square and cleaned him up, 80's style - if we were in the 80's it may have been deemed fair. We are not, any moron that likens that shoulder/elbow to Franklin's obviously hasnt seen both incidents. Lloyd a once great player is now a washed up ass chaser, his stat's show that for the game - 9 disposals 2 marks - 0 goals. If that is the output of a player influencing the game, then you can have him. He become an expendable sniper that took one for the team who was down 4 goals from a team missing 11 and a ruckman who was making Ryder look like the makeshift hack ruckman he is. He wont play again this year, not because of the Tribunal, but because Knights told him at half time that based on his first half he may as well announce his retirement now.

Nice way to finish your career Matty ... quite sad actually, a once great player resorting to cleaning blokes up because he can no longer get the pill himself. Well done bloke.

• Posted by: Liako on August 31, 2009 9:39 AM

Firstly, both clubs have had players do some ordinary things. Dermie was reknowned for running off the line and cleaning up opponents - but he got plenty of weeks for it too. Lloyd also ran off the line to clean up Sewell. His intention was to clean up a player at that contest. It was intentional, not reckless. Did he intend to break Sewell's cheek, I don't think so, but his intent was misguided nonetheless. Brown's comment on radio speak to actions such as Lloyd's hit on Josh Thurgood, whilst wearing a cast, that also broke the young players cheekbone. Lloyd is not the cleanskin the media portray him to be, nor the callous thug the Hawks were suggesting in the heat of the battle. Lloyd should get more weeks than Buddy, simply because Sewell was more exposed, lower down and with no chance to get out of the way. Buddy's hit was high due to a range of circumstances that resulted in 2 weeks. Matty Lloyd could only ever do head high damage with his approach.

• Posted by: Charles on August 31, 2009 9:41 AM

All things aside, it was Hawthorn's poor form for not getting back in to the contest and trying to win the game. Sewell is one player. If they relied that heavily on him then its their game plan at fault.

• Posted by: vinnie on August 31, 2009 9:42 AM

As Midnight Oil Sang "short memory must have a, Shorttttttt....."

• Posted by: anibal on August 31, 2009 9:44 AM

So whining in the press is what passes for the modern square up? Mal must be so proud. They had half a game to get even and failed miserably, even when they game was gone. Sad sad sad.

Suck it up Hawks, your season is gone. Losing Sewell didn't help you this game, but neither did the miserable month that preceded it. Stop pretending it was Lloyd's fault and look in the mirror.

• Posted by: Mr Smug on August 31, 2009 9:45 AM

CB should speak to Jason W about his own sniping the Hawks are no angels and people who throw stones should not live in Glass Houses as for Alice Clackyson we can ask Ian Aitken (Carlton)about who broke his jaw and for who played the man and not the ball we can say game set and match as for sniping at Math Lloyd why don't they look in their own back yard before commenting on others faults

• Posted by: Eve on August 31, 2009 9:46 AM

Is Lloyd a sniper? most probably, in that it was a deliberate action to take Sewell out, but it is part of footy and the way the hawks carried on was too much. Is Rohan Connolly a one-eyed idiot? Most definately. Mate, you are supposedly a journalist - pull your head out and stop pumping out such bias.

• Posted by: ryan on August 31, 2009 9:46 AM

Lloyd is a thug, just accept it. I don't reckon there isn't a Hawthorn fan alive that would recognise the efforts of Dipper, Lethal and Co, so why can'y you Bommber fans accept that your soft full forward is just a coward who can only play it tough when no-one is expecting. There are no double standards here from Hawks, just from the Bombers.
I want Lloyd to play next time Hawthorn plays Essendon, I want to see his pansy girlie face when he gets smashed every time he goes near the ball, and then when a full Hawthorn side instead of the seconds that took the field on the weekend send his Bombers into a deep sleep.
Get over yourself Essendon, you are in the final by default, not because you deserved it.

• Posted by: Scott on August 31, 2009 9:46 AM

There has always been a show of physical contact by Loyd and at times reckless/delibrate. only individual clashes can be judged And this one deserves four to six weeks.Going by way of the ruling introduced at the beginning of the season ,also the consideration of attack on the player and not the ball has been in our game of football since year dot and especially around finals time be it befor or during the intensity of the game will always arouse this type of behavior and its up to the AFL to deal with it correctly who ever the individual the unusal thing nowadays if aplayer stood there and planted a punch directly on the nose of the player he would get less of a suspension (unless your were Barry Hall). Potentially ,this type of Action by Lloyd can cause very serious injury (as it has with sellwood) if deemed illegal the player should be out for the length the injured player is unable to play, plus his suspension

• Posted by: didge on August 31, 2009 9:46 AM

There has always been a show of physical contact by Loyd and at times reckless/delibrate. only individual clashes can be judged And this one deserves four to six weeks.Going by way of the ruling introduced at the beginning of the season ,also the consideration of attack on the player and not the ball has been in our game of football since year dot and especially around finals time be it befor or during the intensity of the game will always arouse this type of behavior and its up to the AFL to deal with it correctly who ever the individual the unusal thing nowadays if aplayer stood there and planted a punch directly on the nose of the player he would get less of a suspension (unless your were Barry Hall). Potentially ,this type of Action by Lloyd can cause very serious injury (as it has with sellwood) if deemed illegal the player should be out for the length the injured player is unable to play, plus his suspension

• Posted by: didge on August 31, 2009 9:47 AM

There has always been a show of physical contact by Loyd and at times reckless/delibrate. only individual clashes can be judged And this one deserves four to six weeks.Going by way of the ruling introduced at the beginning of the season ,also the consideration of attack on the player and not the ball has been in our game of football since year dot and especially around finals time be it befor or during the intensity of the game will always arouse this type of behavior and its up to the AFL to deal with it correctly who ever the individual the unusal thing nowadays if aplayer stood there and planted a punch directly on the nose of the player he would get less of a suspension (unless your were Barry Hall). Potentially ,this type of Action by Lloyd can cause very serious injury (as it has with sellwood) if deemed illegal the player should be out for the length the injured player is unable to play, plus his suspension

• Posted by: didge on August 31, 2009 9:48 AM

Three facts:
a) Lloyd consciously took out Sewell, knowing he had little to lose. An inglorious end to his career
b) That action left Hawthorn fatally undermanned, rasing again the question of the sin-bin remedy
c) If Clarkson, on reflection, is not embarrassed by his intemperate and hypocritical outburst, then he is as foolish as the oafish Brown

• Posted by: Mike on August 31, 2009 9:50 AM

Does anyone remember what he did to josh thurgood? And to compare the bump to buddy's is ridiculous. Sewell was bent over the ball and didn't see what was coming, and after all the scrutiny last week Lloyd should of known better. He deserves 3 for the bump and 2 for being reckless. It just shows he does have a mong head for tv!

• Posted by: yongoz on August 31, 2009 9:51 AM

That's funny that the focus has fallen on Brown, because it's Lloyd that's broken yet another player's face through pure malice.

What an ornament to the game.

• Posted by: Graham on August 31, 2009 9:52 AM

I always thought Lloyd was more a diver than a sniper.

• Posted by: Cameron Duncan on August 31, 2009 9:53 AM

Well done Clarkson and Brown. You both built playing (and coaching for Clarkson) careers on being thugs with no talent for playing the game as intended. And when your distinct lack of talent is exposed, you complain that the opposition are thugs. Incredibly fortunate to win the flag last year, hopefully Hawthorn extend their contracts beyond 2020 so we never see either of them in a finals series again. Poor sportsmanship.

• Posted by: Jack Flash on August 31, 2009 9:54 AM

Hawthorn's Campbell Brown, Chance Bateman, Alistair Clarkson and Jeff Kennett are bringing our wonderful game into disrepute. I was absolutely shocked by their aggressive conduct and sadly it's all too familiar with this football club. I have 2 young children that love watching AFL and they were horrified with what they seen Saturday afternoon. If the AFL doesn't force them to pull their heads in this time,then their not genuinely interested in the way the AFL is perceived by the public. From a mothers perspective, I think Campbell Brown needs to rubbed out and the coach and president need to be fined and repremanded.

• Posted by: Kez on August 31, 2009 9:55 AM

Alastair Clarkson has no credibility and never has since he inflicted the most cowardly king hit in modern VFL/AFL football on Ian Aitken in 1987 (the second is the Matthews hit on Bruns)- effectively ruining Aitken's career. As that other Hypocrite Hawk Campbell Brown intimated the Sewell hit wont be forgetten. Hey Alastair, the Aitken hit has not been forgotten............

• Posted by: Bill on August 31, 2009 9:57 AM

Lloyd is one of the last of the Sheedy hitmen. That's how they operate, and have for over 20 years.
Brown was right to say what he did. And Rohan Connolly? Who is it you follow again? A terrible, biased article from a 'journalist' that should know better. Hawthorn did not fail in 2009. Hawthorn were brave and persistent, despite having over half its PREMIERSHIP team missing all year. Essendon will get theirs soon - a smashing loss to Adelaide. That'll give Lloyd quite some time on the couch at home to think about his fading career.

• Posted by: Edie Beale on August 31, 2009 10:00 AM

Unfortunately Lloyd will get weeks Just like Buddy did, the games gone soft.
With Lloyd out for at least three, and Ryder possibly one for his fairy tap, they will only see one week of Sept as Hawthorn would have with 11 of it's 09 premiership team out.
Haws Fan.

• Posted by: Hawks Fan on August 31, 2009 10:04 AM

wow, slow down people. i can see this is also getting out of hand. if you think Lloyd had done that on purpose and tried to cause harm then you need to look very carefully at yourself. Why dont you cry about it Hawks, was a good bump and you know it. harden up Sewell. i like the kid though.
i thought Lloyd acted like a true professional afterwards, he moved on and didnt get influenced by the Hawks bullying in any way. Unlucky Hawks, were in the finals

• Posted by: Jons on August 31, 2009 10:04 AM

Campbell Brown's old man Mal was the biggest thug in the game and regulary dished it out, Brown himself is no choir boy either.

• Posted by: Joel on August 31, 2009 10:05 AM

What absolute tripe served up by the one-eyed Essendon man Rohan Coonnolly today. Lloyd lined Sewell from 30 metres away, he came in with the intent to hit Sewell, not even try and play the ball - if thats not sniping I don't know what is. Sewell was going the ball, and expected the other players around him to be doing the same - teh injuries themselves speak for the incident and the actions of Lloyd.

So what what if Dipper, Breeton & Matthews were thugs - does that justify what Lloyd did somehow? How is what Campbell Brown did even relevant to his comments? He never said he wasn't a thug or a sniper, just that Lloyd was... who would no better.

But typical Bomber fans can't except the facts that their overrated pretty boy is a sniper and the queen of diving for free kicks.

Rohan try and stick to journalism next time, rather than gutless emotional diatribe. You're paid to do a fair and reasonable job as journalist, not as a mouthpiece for your club.

• Posted by: MDF on August 31, 2009 10:05 AM

So Kez, you were OK with your two young children seeing Lloyd iron out a player - that was OK by you? Tell me, when sheedy threatened the West Coast player all those years ago, you were OK with that as well? What extraordinary hypocricy.

The biggest problem with what Brown said is that it has deflected attention from the harmful acts of Lloyd.

And another thing - to those people who keep returning to the players of the 80s in order to reinforce their arguments - could you please tell me how Roger Merritt earned the nickname 'Hitman'? I am dumbfounded by the selective memories on display here.

• Posted by: Nate on August 31, 2009 10:07 AM

Who cares in Brown is a sniper in the minds of some, who cares what past players did, who cares what the HAwks did in the game? This is about Lloyd and he is a gutless sniper. He throws his body around when he knows he can hurt someone, he doesn't go in for the hard ball get, he goes in to get the guy. Always has. He then runs away from any confrontation or at worse sizes up to the smaller player.

He should get a few weks for it and hopefully that is the end of his career. He could have been a champion and in many ways almost is, but his gutless actions will always taint it.

I'm a Hawk supporter and we played some very ordinary footy all year. We had excuses at the start of the year with injuries but that shouldn't be true for the entire year. We just lost our focus and rightfully didn't deserve to be in the finals this year.

Go Doggies over the Saints in the big one

• Posted by: graham on August 31, 2009 10:10 AM

Of course, he's a sniper. No doubt! This stuff has been going on for years , there is plenty of history between Lloyd and Brown as well. Behind closed doors the Esseendon players would have been hi-fiving Lloyd for his hit on Sewell. Campbell Brown didn't tell us anything people in the footy world didn't already know about Lloyd. Also isn't it refreshing to hear a player speak their mind, rather than dribble some pre-prepared statement that the club expects? Footy has become too sanitised already.

• Posted by: Matt on August 31, 2009 10:10 AM

no one remembers brown king hitting an essondon player on his way to the bench for the blood rule a few years back, browns one of the worst sniper players in the afl at the moment, and a cry baby too.

hawthorn supporters are showing they are the biggest bunch of sore losers, 2 weeks of continual whinging, last week they cried for been able to bump, this week they cry you shouldnt be able to bump.

but the fact from the weekend was they werent good enough, which has been shown all season, they just arent good enough this year.

• Posted by: andrew on August 31, 2009 10:11 AM

Lloyd is no sniper. The bump on Sewell happened in a split second. The game had reached a level of intensity already so it was not a stand-out moment.
To my mind Essendon were the favourites to win going into the game with the Hawks missing so many of their key players.
I've got to say I thought the Hawthorn reaction was not what you'd expect from a professional football team. It's fine to be passionate but then to deliberately square up on Lloyd afterwards and hurl personal abuse just shows a lack of control.
I also think that some of the Hawks players did not play the rest of the game in the spirit it should be played.
Makes me think that if teams are more interested in the fighting than the game the umpires should have the power to suspend play with the quarter clock continuing to tick over (so both teams are losing time) until the captains of both teams are able to get their side under control and report that to the umpire.

• Posted by: Saints fan on August 31, 2009 10:12 AM

What a lot of dribble it makes no difference every footballer is a sniper or they don't play the game to win.Brown we know whwere you get your agro from(your father) I am a richmond supporter and I saw your father knock out half the essendon team (windy hill 1974)
The law is the law lloyd will be suspended for his hit

• Posted by: stevetheaussie on August 31, 2009 10:14 AM

LLoyd isn't nicknamed the 'velvet slegde hammer' for nothing now. He meant to take out Sewell and if he didn't, then he would've let Ryder tackle him.

• Posted by: Scott Adams on August 31, 2009 10:17 AM

The picture on theage.com.au is shocking : the guy looks like a murderer happy of what he has done.
You should as a serious newspaper never show that.

• Posted by: Sebelas on August 31, 2009 10:18 AM

Clarkson has to be kidding. This is the same guy that king hit more players in this time than any other that I can recll. just using it as an excuse to try and cover his own poor perfromance as a coach and a team.

• Posted by: Jay on August 31, 2009 10:22 AM

Lloyd may play for free kicks but he is not a sniper. Brown is both a sniper and a COWARD, taking cheap shots at every opportunity.

• Posted by: David Holroyd on August 31, 2009 10:22 AM

Lloyd has always been taking cheap shots at players there are countless examples of carefully placed elbows and knees, give him credit he is an expert sniper. Lucky for him he didn't play in the Dipper / Dermie era.

• Posted by: Dave Stephen on August 31, 2009 10:22 AM

What Lloyd did was definitely a sniping.

• Posted by: Khalid Moinuddin on August 31, 2009 10:22 AM

I come from a rugby league background and to hit a player when he is not looking has to be regarded as a cheap shot in any sport.Is attacking the head of a player when he is not looking an accepted part of AFL? The possibility of spinal injuries resulting from being hit unexpectedly seems to be underestimated.I suggest the AFL dont use this footage in their recruiting efforts.

• Posted by: Greg on August 31, 2009 10:23 AM

Mal Brown....now Campbell Brown. From a family of poorly spoken, weak and dirty 'little girls' he should get off the gear and look back past his own playing career "hardly a career". Grow up you little whinging pipsqueek. If you dont want to see good, hard football, go and be a ballet dancer.... Just like your old man should have been.

• Posted by: fairsfair on August 31, 2009 10:25 AM

Lloyd has and always will be a thug, but only to little men or at opportune times. He is one of the most prolific divers in the league then has the nerve to throw his weight around and complain about the call. If only he was as tough a footballer as he claims to be, he might have the respect of more fans and other footballers.

• Posted by: John on August 31, 2009 10:27 AM

Geez...ppl have short memories, the velvet sledgehammer has been sniping people for years. This is well known , just finally someone had the sack to say it.

• Posted by: Mad Dog Legend on August 31, 2009 10:28 AM

I imagine Andrew Burt is one of the same people who has spent most of the last 15 years abusing Matthew Lloyd for being a "weak pretty boy" or some other such nonsense. Then as soon as he does something remotely hard, he becomes a "thug". You can't have it both ways - he's one or the other. But your opinion doesn't really matter anyway. Probably a Collingwood supporter.

• Posted by: Dan on August 31, 2009 10:30 AM

get over it - move on- alot more happening in the world than footy...go brownie

• Posted by: NY on August 31, 2009 10:31 AM

I like Jack Sparrow's remark (8.07 am) about Lloyd being a fairy boy - got it in one! Harry high-pants has always seemed soft to me, but never minded the sly one on the side. 3 weeks suspension at least.

• Posted by: Simon on August 31, 2009 10:32 AM

Yes. I think the incident and its several sequels were most unfortunate. The creaming of Sewell a key player for the Hawks, was inexcusable and, for an experienced modern player, avoidable. The event occurred straight after what was clearly a "revup" by the coach and a "do nothing" first half by the offender, Lloyd. So malice aforethought appears plausible. The anger of the Hawthorn players was understandable but they forgot the old adage that you can win the fight but lose the war. So it, seems, did the coach.

• Posted by: Chris R on August 31, 2009 10:33 AM

Go Dons,. Tough un-socialable Football.

• Posted by: Go Dons, on August 31, 2009 10:35 AM

I think it was an unfortunate incident with no malice or intent. Contested footy in a contact sport with players going everywhere.

Two different incidents. Buddy deliberately went for a fair bump but accidently got him high (should be 50 metres I reckon).

The ladder is sorted over 22 rounds and the unsociable hawks couldn't back up and are having trouble dealing with it.

Spot on Rohan

Good luck Lloyd & Sewell

Bring on the finals. Hopefully a doggies and saints GF.

• Posted by: Gary on August 31, 2009 10:35 AM

As a Hawks supporter I am a tad embarrassed, but hopeful for next year. The Hawks lost the game because they overreacted and lost focus. Brown and Clarkson were childish after the game, and both are hypocritical. If Clarkson is true to his original coaching plan, he has to have a hard look at the ageing and underpeforming Brown, and perhaps make even more space for some encouraging younger players. Perhaps the best aspect of Saturday's game for Hawks fans was how well we did in the first half without Buddy and Roughy, with the two Beaus stepping up and the mid-fielders doing their job. If we can regain composure and stay focussed on football (hard but fair and not temperamental), then look out any opposition in 2010!

• Posted by: Embarrassed Hawk Supporter on August 31, 2009 10:36 AM

The difference between Buddy and Lloyd is that Cousin took Buddy on by trying to go around him whilst aware of body contact, where Lloyd went in while Sewell had his head over the ball and not looking at the coward – the head over the ball is what the AFL is trying protect, Lloyd would never understand this because he would never puts his head over the ball as he is a girl, Lloyd always goes in with his fist, forearm or knees (LOW ACT), Lloyd will always be remembered for being an actor and no a champion of the game, just look up how many goals he kicked from free and how many from talent. GO THE BLUES!!!!

• Posted by: Eddie on August 31, 2009 10:36 AM

What contribution did Campbell Brown make after half time? Very little. Essendon hopes that he plays on next year too.

• Posted by: nick on August 31, 2009 10:38 AM

West Coast supporter here.

I wouldn't say Llyod is a sniper but you would have to say that what he did was reckless but not malicious as he was going for the ball and brad Sewell was unlucky to get Ko'd.

But I would imagine the reaction and outcry if it was Chris Judd or Gary Ablett Jnr who got taken out.

• Posted by: Matt on August 31, 2009 10:42 AM

Matthew Loyd is a dog and im glad his seasons over. i show no respect to rats. retire you old dog

• Posted by: steve on August 31, 2009 10:42 AM

Gee, can't tell Rohan Connolly's an Essendon supporter can you... Not!

• Posted by: Elliot G on August 31, 2009 10:43 AM

Great article by Rohan Connolly today. Clarkson and Brown should be disgusted by their actions and words on the weekend. They have damaged the Hawthorn brand and come off as sour grapes and spoilt little babies. I can't wait for the game next year. They should make both teams meet in round one!

• Posted by: George on August 31, 2009 10:45 AM

It is quite funny that Lloyd has his integrity attacked by Brown who like his father is the biggest piece of white trash to play the game.
The reaction of coach and players to this bump (fair or not) is no surprise to any bomber supporter who has had to sit near them at matches and listen to the racial taunts to the blackfellas who have played the game. It is the typical reaction of stupid social climbing Lib voting scum who would vote for kenntett as club pres.
Seeing him standing up squealing to the gods was delicious. Maybe to make up for being no good this year you could all watch the footage of kennetts apes beating up the parents of children whose kindergartens he had closed down.

• Posted by: Stu the Human on August 31, 2009 10:45 AM

I take it David Shields you have never seen the "line in the sand" game 5 years back?
In it Brown amongst other players were reported and outed for their "thuggery".
Brown incidently "snipered" Winderlich as he was leaving the arena.
By degrading a PROVEN CHAMPION of the game in Lloyd,and setting the other guy up as a hero and someone to look up to "in the eyes of your children",just exposes you as a brainless airhead bringing poor little kids into the world who will probably turn out like you, a misfit of society....

• Posted by: Noel Leonor on August 31, 2009 10:45 AM

Brown, Thurgood and now Sewell are all Hawthorn players to have bones broken in their faces after encountering Matthew Lloyd. Seems to be a bit of a trend developing ... Lloyd's hit at the weekend was clearly the worst of the lot and, given Sewell had his head down picking up the ball, the Essendon thug could get at least four and maybe up to six weeks for his thuggery.

• Posted by: paul on August 31, 2009 10:47 AM

The fact is Hawthorn reacted to the incident and didn't play the tough footy required to win after half time. Their reaction allowed a very substandard team in Essendon to make the finals. This showed a lack of professionalism which was confirmed by Clarkson's and Brown's comments. Clarkson always was a coward as he once king hit Aitken of Carlton from behind. And Brown is the son of Mal Brown - I say no more. Hawthorn have always struggled against Essendon in big games. This game continued the history of Essendon winning the important ones.

• Posted by: getreal on August 31, 2009 10:48 AM

There is a major difference between the 2 bumps. Lloyd went straight for Sewell's head while Cousins turned and contributed. Box Hill Hawks were playing on Saturday not Hawthorn. We will show the Bombers how to play footy next year. And Matthew Lloyd you are the weakest kind when you can knock a player out when they have their head over the footy. Hope you play on next year!!!!

• Posted by: Michael on August 31, 2009 10:48 AM

Lloydy in one word - CHAMPION. Big bump, who cares how it happened, bombers toweled up the hawks after half time, are in the finals and winners are grinners. Get over it whining whinging sore LOSERS.

• Posted by: Richie on August 31, 2009 10:49 AM

The unsociable football team complaining about unsociable football. You've really got to hand it to Hawthorn this year, they've been little more than a bunch of babies sooking about just about everything under the sun. Mick Malthouse must be wondering what he has to do to remain the number one whineger in th AFL. Seriously though, Hawthorn needs to turn the microscope on itself & decide if this is the way it wants to be perceived. On evidence they've become a hypocritical soft bunch of schoolyard bullies who now cry foul at every perceived injustice & do little to rectify their obvious deficiencies on the field where it counts. If class, pride & grace in defeat are valuable commodities in football then Hawthorn is the poorest club in the AFL at the moment. Calling Essendon unworthy finalists says nothing about the Dons but says everything you ever need to know about this bunch of babies currently representing Hawthorn. And this is the rabble that was talking of a Dynasty 12 months ago!

• Posted by: Chris on August 31, 2009 10:49 AM

Beware the Big Bad Bombers all you sooky la las ..... cos ..... [singing] We are in the finals, we are in the finals, da daaaa daaaaa da! Da daaaa daaaaa da! We are in the finals, we are in the finals, da daaaa daaaaa da! Da daaaa daaaaa da! Hey Browny, what's that sour taste in your mouth? Grapes?

• Posted by: Laki on August 31, 2009 10:51 AM

Looks like the neutrals all agree that Lloyd is completely in the wrong.
Its funny people comparing this to Buddy and some saying Buddy's bump was worse.
Lloyd's bump could easily have ended sewelle's career, is that what people are resorting to now?? and the guilty look on Lloyds face told the story. He knew he messed up big time with this.

• Posted by: Bobby on August 31, 2009 10:51 AM

JOHN PECK, posted at 8.55am list four brawls and asks if there is any common demoninator. He failed to include the 1985 brawl at the start of the 1985 Haw v Ess GF. Lets review who started each (PS - I don't support Essendon or the Hawks).

1) 2009 game - Matthew Lloyd
2) 2004 line in the sand - Hawthorn (they say Dermie fired the Hawk Hypocrites)
3) 1990 GF - Terry Daniher (Ess)
4) Ess - Rich 1974 game (MAL BROWN - Campbell's dad started this one...hmm..hmm...Richmond's Stephen Parson's was charged by the police...hmmm
5) 1985 GF - Hawthorn started because it was their only chance to win (HH's got smashed by 70 points.

Any common demoninator - none that I can see, except when the Hawks, Hawks players or their fathers can't win on their merits they resort to violence.

Over to you JOHN PECK

• Posted by: Bill on August 31, 2009 10:52 AM

The Hawks don't like to taste their own blood but they're quite happy to go around spilling others! How can Lloyd be a snipper when he hit Sewell front on?

Suck it up Hawks and worry about 2010 as 2009 is over for you.....

• Posted by: Chris on August 31, 2009 10:52 AM

The junior team the Hawks had on the field were giving Essendon a towelling - and they were embarrassed by it. The Ch10 commentators couldn't believe how bad they were, even suggesting they should copy the Hawks game plan!!! IMO, LLoyd was given the task at half time of doing something useful - if he had missed Sewell he would have tried to get Mitchell. When the Hawks get a full list again next year lookout for another flag!

• Posted by: Gary Evans on August 31, 2009 10:54 AM

Out of all this hoo-hah, ONE thing is certain. Whatever decision gets handed down by the tribunal. Lloyd and Essendon will cop it and leave it at that. They won't be whinging like the Hawks were after Buddy got suspended. The behaviour of Clarkson, Brown and Kennett was disgraceful.

• Posted by: George on August 31, 2009 10:56 AM

If you look more closely, Lloyd actually receives a bit of a shove, tries to pull up but doesn't and makes incidental contact with Sewell who was just bringing himself up from ground level after retrieving the ball.

Anyone who thinks that was intentional is watching with some kind of predisposition because there was no intent or malice involved. In fact, if the contact had have been only slightly different it could well have been Lloyd who went down for the count instead of Sewell.

Watch the footage again. Lloyd is actually dazed and confused after the collision.

• Posted by: Allan on August 31, 2009 10:58 AM

Why was it 10 sec after the half time break that Sewell was taken out (fresh in their mind)...this just proves that it was the instruction to go out and take out one of these players because they are hurting us - Sewell was the unlucky one that got the ball when he did, it could have being Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell or Rioli, if you watch the relay straight after the restart of play, the first bounce you will hear what the commentators said "Fletcher has just ran straight through Hodge" SHAME SHAME SHAME, THE ESSENDON SHAME CLUB

• Posted by: Eddie on August 31, 2009 10:58 AM

I am still flabbergasted that people think Lloyd is quick and agile enough to "line Brad Sewell up from 30m" when Mark McVeigh had the ball about 3 seconds earlier. Lloydy is good, but he is certainly no future-seeing shaman and he is NOT QUICK, he is a right slow slug. He'll get games for what he did but if he planned the bump then he also planned to be out for the finals if the Dons made it - Lloyd would not want to miss the finals - go figure.
GO DONS!

• Posted by: C on August 31, 2009 10:58 AM

Yes there are thugs in football. Yes Lloyd should get rubbed out. Yes Bateman is a dog. Yes Brown is all talk - where was the payback on the day. Yes the Hawks had lots of players out - so what? Yes Hawthorn are sore losers and cry-babies.

• Posted by: Jackie on August 31, 2009 11:00 AM

Essendon supporting friends call Lloyd the "Velvet Sledgehammer". Enough said. If you get the opportunity to hear his on-ground interview immediately after Saturday's game it was as though he had already conceded he would be "doing time". Enough said.

• Posted by: Richard Emery on August 31, 2009 11:01 AM

Connolly your Essendon support is coming through!!! Remember Sheedy with the throat slitting gesture?

Short memories.

• Posted by: David on August 31, 2009 11:01 AM

It doesn't matter what WE think... The AFL love Essendon and will do their best to ensure their Poster Boy will get off.
Watch this space... the whole competition is a fraud and is run by filthy Essendon loving scum.
Buddy was suspended because they were playing Essendon...
Just wait for their justification for double standard. Should be good.

• Posted by: Mosquito Fleet on August 31, 2009 11:03 AM

The AFL has painted itself into a corner with this ruling,hopefully it has the guts to follow through with the appropriate punishment on Lloyd.
Regardless of who you follow,Sewell was hit high,concussed and received fractures so all the bluster from Essendon about Lloyds character is irrelevant.
Browns outburst was probably the frustration felt by all at Hawthorn towards the AFL regarding some strange umpiring decisions this year,and if the pattern follows, Brown will get a fine and Lloyd will somehow get off.

• Posted by: Garth on August 31, 2009 11:03 AM

Is Rohan Connoly an Essendon supporter?

• Posted by: Tim Gawne on August 31, 2009 11:04 AM

What a great game! I look forward to the Hawthorne games every year. Always fire works.

Great captains bump by Mathew Lloyd. Totally legal except that it was a bit high (which was accidental - these things happen on a football field). Get well soon Brad Sewell.

Sparked a great win and a game in September. I say a game because, let's face it, neither the Dons or the Hawks are good enough to beat Adelaide but if it's there you take it.

A finals game will be good for a young side and I look forward to next years unsociable derby.

P.S. For the mother banning AFL in her household. Your child will grow up to be a great politician, possibly even become prime minister.

• Posted by: Andrew on August 31, 2009 11:04 AM

Yet another typically 'unbiased' article from a obvious Essendon supporter. What a joke!!

• Posted by: Steve on August 31, 2009 11:04 AM

If Sheedy was fined for abusing Mitchell White, Brown and Clarkson should also be charged with disrepute

• Posted by: Davo on August 31, 2009 11:05 AM

Lloyd lined him up no doubt.
Totally reckless.

Lloyd has a history of this and tends to get off as he has a clean cut image. If he had Tattoos and long hair he would get 6 weeks.

Remember when he slid into a pack with his AFL approved cast on his arm and smashed someones face.

• Posted by: david w on August 31, 2009 11:05 AM

I am a neutral on this issue, being raised in WA playing Aussie rules, currently living in Queensland and follow WCE in the AFL.
In my opinion it was a planned hit that had the desired effect on a game going the wrong way for Essendon. It changed the game without doubt.
All clubs have had their hitmen over the years; unfortunately the hard game of times past has forever gone and will only be seen from highlights packages. This is the new game, a game of athletics, stamina and precise skills, whether we like it or not the type of contacts seen from Franklin and Lloyd will very soon be something of the past.
I am not sure I like the way the game is going, our unique game is being tamed and the competition is gaining momentum, rule out the bump and Aussie rules will be lost!

• Posted by: Bill Hill on August 31, 2009 11:06 AM

EmbarrasedHawksSupporter - well done for being big enought to admit Brown and (to a lesser extent in my opinion) Clarksons conduct was poor. Im an essendon supporter. I will readily agree Lloyd has a tendency to play for free kicks, and I dont like it. His forearm guard was AFL approved when he was wearing it so move on from that one. His hit has technical difference to Buddy's, but is a breach of the same rule. The main difference is the injury was greater. As the rules stand, Buddy's 2 weeks was appropriate and Lloyd should get 3, maybe 4. In saying that, I dont agree the current rules are in the best interests of the game.

As for those who say Lloyd lined him up from 30m away, I suggest you watch the footage again (and try and maintain some objectivity).

And to those who hide behind the fact that it was Box Hill not Hawthorn: the club has no-one to blame for that other than themselves. A season consists of 22 games, not one.

In short, there were shortcomings on both sides. One does not excuse the other. The only winner out of this will be the AFL who's coffers will be topped up nicely in the coming days by both teams.

• Posted by: Ben_N on August 31, 2009 11:07 AM

Typical that Connally comes out and bemoans the actions of Hawthorn. Who do you follow exactly Rohan? I wonder. Much like Robinson over at the HUN.
As for Lloyd, he has form in this area of picking off a smaller player. We've seen it before, and Brown knows all too well of what Lloyd has done in the name of 'leadership', having sustained a broken nose behind played from this 'great' player. It's about time the polish was taken off Lloyd's name and some truth was put on the table.
P.S.When people start bringing up the Franklin bump in this discussion they are completely missing the point. Franklin didn't come off the square and take out a ball player, he chose to bump a player in play who was trying to get around him at pace. He also didn't cannon into his head, Franklin's bump was directed at the torso, but collected the chin on the way through.

• Posted by: Shane on August 31, 2009 11:08 AM

Wow all this venom. No wonder we can't walk the streets of Melbourne after dark. From a neutral supporter sort of --Geelong-- may I add that Lloyd ran in to make his mark and try and change the game and was 100% successful. Lined him up just like Maxwell. Brown and Clarkson have shown everyone the quality of their characters. It seems unsociable football can only be played by Hawthorn.

• Posted by: Will on August 31, 2009 11:09 AM

I still think that Matty Loyd should NOT get off that easy. Fair and Square is how we play footy!!!!!

• Posted by: Nerissa E on August 31, 2009 11:09 AM

Bomber fan -the key difference is that Sewell has a broken cheek bone and eye socket and Cousins does not. Franklin's bump was reasonable (in the words of the tribunal), I suspect Lloyd's would be deemed not to be. 4 weeks.

• Posted by: Footy Fan on August 31, 2009 11:09 AM

Regardless of what happened and the many interpretations of it, if the AFL is dinkum it will charge Clarkson and Brown with bringing the game into disrepute. While Brown's comments and Clarkson's gestures or words may be great media copy, both are detrimental to the image of the game.

• Posted by: Doug on August 31, 2009 11:10 AM

You don't have to be an angel to be able to call someone a sniper. Brownie's just telling it like it is - and speaking for fans of all other clubs. We don't hate Lloydy cos he kicks goals against us - its because he pretends to be above thuggery but indulges himself in it at every chance. When Brownie got 4 weeks for hitting Lloydie, "Matthew" had punched him in the goal square just 2 minutes earlier. Brownie is hard at it, but doesn't go the knuckle. Lloydie plays the put upon hero, and goes the knuckle. Essendon has a culture of thugs -add Barnard, the Johnsons, Solomon to those already listed - Sheedy even left Kickett, a noted goal-kicker and in-form player out of a grand final team, for Wallis a "hard" man. Wake up Connolly, Lloyd's reputation is only fine in the media's minds and that of blind bomber supporters. I can admit that our Dermie was a thug. And of course we remember Dipper's hit on Kevin Walsh - that cost us the game - there's living by the sword, and there's admitting you had it in your hand. Franklin's bump when he was virtually standing still does not compare to Lloyd's full-tilt shoulder charge.

• Posted by: simon dix-draper on August 31, 2009 11:11 AM

Matthew Lloyd stood up on Saturday,Brown was nowhere to be seen, 1 kick in the second half what a great performance. Hawks fans have short memories Matthews king hit on Bruns, Dipper wiping out Walsh, Dermie ( who all bombers fans respect) crunching Van Der Haar. Hawks fans are sookie lar lars. Brown you are a puffing huffing average footballer, why didnt you put your body on the line for the Hawks when it was needed and your statement after the game about Llyod being a Sniper was absolutely poor sportsmanship you havent got enough ability to tie Lloyds boot straps. Just as your father was dubbed the mouth you have inherited this title from him.

• Posted by: Paul on August 31, 2009 11:12 AM

If he gets more then 4 weeks will stop watching Afl and go back to watching rugby How soft is this game getting is it not a contact sport. If he didn't do what he did he would of been accused of not going in hard enough. There are risks in contact sport can we stop crying when contact is made please cause we are killing a great game.

• Posted by: jada on August 31, 2009 11:12 AM

i love my feisty hawks, im sure the AFL will try and crush this trait in the years to come. they want obedient robotic players who keep their mouths shut and toe the new corporate line.
a bit out of control on saturday from clarko and brown, but the melbourne media as usual is going to town and whipping up the hate...Lloyd is as underhanded as they come so lets not excuse him either.
i dont like to see punch ups - Brown has a big history there - but the passion of our club ill always admire. in this new era of corporate control and insane media scrutiny however it will be torn down and the "personality" of individual clubs diluted further. THIS is the real fight.

• Posted by: blayde on August 31, 2009 11:13 AM