SYDNEY Swans star Dan Hannebery would have gone against 15 years of football instinct had he done anything different in the contentious collision with Michael Hurley.
That is the opinion of Hannebery's teammate Dane Rampe, along with former players Matthew Lloyd and Nathan Brown who asked for "common sense" to prevail in the Match Review Panel's assessment of the clash.
Hannebery and Hurley were both hunting a loose ball on Friday night when the Bombers defender bent over and exposed his head.
The in-form Swans midfielder clattered into Hurley, leaving him temporarily stunned and setting the stage for another divisive ruling from the panel on Monday.
"If you pull out, you're going to be branded a sissy or accused of lacking courage," Rampe said of his take on the incident.
"Or you're going to kill yourself if you go in like Hurley did (and butt heads).
"So you have to brace. It's just human nature to protect yourself, that's the way it should be and that's what we're taught when we're growing up.
"We're taught to protect the space and protect ourselves as the ball's coming in."
Head-high contact has been a hot potato for the League in recent years amid the backdrop of growing concern over the long-term impacts of concussion on the brain.
Hurley was forced from the ground but passed a concussion test and returned to the field.
Tom Lynch's jaw was broken in a collision with Jack Viney two weeks ago, prompting a four-day saga as the Melbourne midfielder was referred directly to the tribunal, found guilty of rough conduct then cleared on appeal.
Rampe said he was "pretty confused" about how to approach similar contests, while teammate Craig Bird suggested "it would be good to get clarification".
Hannebery, speaking after the game, said he only had eyes for the ball.
Brown agreed with Swans coach John Longmire's assessment that Hannebery was only concerned with winning the Sherrin.
"Common sense he gets off, because he was going the football," Brown said on Channel 9 on Sunday.
"Hurley's approach on the football - it wasn't reckless but it wasn't the sort of way (he should approach a contest). He looked for a free kick."
Lloyd made a similar appeal for "common sense".
Swans defender Nick Malceski should escape with a fine for his accidental clash of heads with umpire Troy Pannell, who was concussed and left the ground on a stretcher.
