Rocca faces nervous wait over heavy hit - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Rocca faces nervous wait over heavy hit

By Tom Wald 24/06/2007 12:00:22 AM Comments (0)

Collingwood spearhead Anthony Rocca is in danger of missing next Sunday's AFL match against high-flying Hawthorn at Telstra Dome following his heavy bump on Sydney's Sean Dempster.

Rocca was shepherding for teammate Alan Didak when he delivered a heavy bump in the 23rd minute of the third quarter at Telstra Stadium.

The Swans utility was leaning down when Rocca came into contact and Dempster was left groggy by the contact, going straight off the ground.

Sydney were handed a free kick for the contact but the big Magpie was not reported.

However the incident is certain to come under video review this week.

It was the only sour note from the night for the Magpies who proved they were genuine premiership contenders by dominating the Swans in the harbour city 10.16 (76) to 8.9 (57).

Magpies coach Mick Malthouse baulked at the suggestion that Rocca was in the wrong.

"Well you might say if the shepherd has gone out of the game when the player is already leaning in then we are in real trouble, the game is in real trouble," Malthouse said.

Malthouse was concerned that the physicality was being taken out of the game and that it would too closely resemble Gaelic football.

"We have to make sure the players are able to play the game the way the game was intended to be played," he said.

"Let's not get too pious and too regimented about it otherwise (Irishman) Martin (Clarke) will fit in beautifully because there will be no tackles and no bumps and nothing else and we will just change the name of the game to Gaelic ovalball."

Sydney coach Paul Roos said Dempster was OK after the match.

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