Saints put the 2021 cue in the rack

St Kilda coach Brett Ratten believes the AFL may need to look at its rules for 2022 after losing Darragh Joyce to concussion resulting from a tackle that was deemed “reasonable” by the match review panel.

The Saints have opted to put star forward Max King and veteran ruckman Paddy Ryder on ice for next season after both were ruled out of Sunday’s final-round clash with Fremantle along with Hunter Clark, who still has concussion symptoms.

Ratten has put a line through his team’s chance of playing finals despite only being one game, and a big chunk of percentage, outside the eight, and so didn’t want to risk his key players.

Joyce also was ruled out after suffering concussion in a tackle by Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins last week that was looked at by match review officer Michael Christian.

Hawkins escaped suspension after it was ruled his tackling was completed “in one motion” and not deemed dangerous.

Ratten suggested the resultant concussion to his player could mean the AFL rethinks its stance, having suspended Gold Coast’s Nick Holman for two weeks for a similar incident before his suspension was overturned by the tribunal.

“That’s up to the tribunal, but maybe review that and there might be a slight interpretation change next year,” Ratten said.

“Darragh did get a concussion, it was from a tackle.”

St Kilda’s Darragh Joyce had to be subbed out of the loss to Geelong. Picture: Michael KleinSource:News Corp Australia

Ratten said King was “very sore” after suffering an adductor injury, while Ryder was still battling an achilles issue.

“We can’t play finals and we could cause some damage there,” Ratten said of King.

Ryder, 33, is expected to suit up for the Saints again next year having been offered a one-year contract.

“Touch wood he wants to play; when players are getting older, it’s not just about us wanting them to play, it’s whether they have got the motivation to play,” Ratten said.

“It looks pretty promising… he’ll be pretty close to signing hopefully.”

Having made the finals last year, Ratten lamented the “inconsistent” first half of 2021 – when St Kilda lost six of its first 10 games – for costing his team a shot at returning to the September action.

“There’s some real frustration more around our first half of the year. We would have good quarters or good matches but then follow it up with poor performances,” he said.

“The back end of the year we have played some pretty good footy. We haven’t won each week, but the way we have gone about it has been pleasing.”

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