Coach 'at a loss' about how to instruct his players after Viney decision
MELBOURNE coach Paul Roos left the AFL Tribunal "in shock" after Jack Viney was suspended, and admits he's "at a loss" about how to instruct his players to brace for contact in light of the verdict.
"When I left him (Jack) last night we were probably all a bit in shock, so then it was a case of what we were going to do as a footy club," he told 3AW’s Sports Today on Wednesday.
Melbourne decided to appeal on the grounds "that the decision was so unreasonable, that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it", according to a statement on the club’s website.
Roos said the verdict has left him confused about how to coach his players.
The Sydney Swans premiership coach revealed his unusual move to accompany Viney to the Tribunal was because he wanted to explain how the club had been instructing Viney to change his approach when attacking a contest.
"We've been doing a lot of work because he's had actually had a lot of concussions and broken jaws," said Roos, who wasn't allowed to speak before the Tribunal.
"He's very straight on when he comes at the ball; he's very head-first.
"He tends to go through a contest with his head, and we've actually been coaching him … to turn his body and brace for contact when he's actually going for the ball.
"I guess from purely a coaching point of view, I'm at a bit of a loss. Because it's something that (midfield coach) Benny Matthews has been working really hard with him.
"It is confusing, it is hard to know what to say to a Jack Viney because what we're trying to do is protect Jack as well."