An incident involving an ex-teammate kneeing Isaac Heeney’s head has come under the microscope from the AFL’s season-opening clash.
Heeney during the second quarter of Thursday night’s clash between Sydney and Carlton copped what appeared top be an accidental knee to his head from new Blue and former Swan Ollie Florent.
Florent was looking down when it happened but the ball was nearby, while it came after the ex-teammates clashed earlier in the spicy Charlie Curnow grudge match.
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Heeney was initially given the all-clear to keep playing before eventually going sown to the rooms to be assessed for a concussion just before half-time.
The Swans superstar was cleared to return to the game in the second half.
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It prompted conversation from Fox Footy pundits at half-time as to whether Florent could face any scrutiny for the big hit.
“You argue there’s a carelessness in his inability to try and step over,” Saints great Leigh Montagna said, noting the two player had “quite a heated moment” earlier.
“The were getting right into it. Whether there’s a little sub conscious bias, that it was Florent being a little more reckless because of this incident earlier in the quarter,” he said.
“I’m not sure you can read too much into it.”
Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall suggested it was a sheer accident, despite some suggestions it was intentional.
“Here’s my thought — he looks to make sure he doesn’t trot on him with the right leg, then he lifts the head to follow the footy,” Dunstall said.
“I think he thinks the left leg is going to go over the top of him. That’s the way I would interpret it, but some people are a little more sinister than that.
Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones added: “I think it was an accident with an element of carelessness. If that was Patrick Cripps on the ground, does his head get knocked?”
To which Montagna responded: “He maybe takes a bit more care, (but) you’ve got to give the benefit of the doubt to Ollie Florent.”
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