AFL world explodes twice over Dan Butler's 'dangerous' tackle on ...

Sydney’s season is in tatters. Their faint finals hopes are gone. And they are now about to face flag contender Brisbane possibly without one of their best players.

Nick Blakey, the son of AFL great John Blakey, was subbed out of the game on Thursday night following a run-down tackle by St Kilda small forward Dan Butler.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dan Butler’s ‘dangerous tackle’ on Nick Blakey has AFL world talking.

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At first glance, it appeared Butler had caught Blakey cold and the latter would be penalised for holding the ball.

But Butler’s momentum carried Blakey forward and Blakey’s head hit the SCG turf.

Blakey’s teammate, Isaac Heeney, immediately appealed for a ‘dangerous tackle’ free kick and the umpire agreed.

Isaac Heeney looks to the umpire as Dan Butler drives Nick Blakey into the ground. Credit: Seven

Cue the eruption from AFL fans on social media.

“Text book chase-down tackle,” one fan wrote underneath a Channel 7 replay of the incident, while veteran sports reporter Chip Le Grand said: “Nothing dangerous about it.

“Terrible decision which probably cost the Saints a goal in a close game,” Le Grand said on decision.

Well-known AFL reporter Rohan Connolly was also quick to scoff at the decision.

“That is NOT a dangerous tackle by Butler on Blakey. If you can’t do that, you quite literally, cannot tackle at all,” Connolly fumed.

However, a popular twitter account run by an ‘accredited umpire’ (Has the umpire made A Bad decision?) explained why it was the correct call.

“A lot of people saying ‘what else can he do?’. The short answer is I don’t know,” the umpire wrote.

Debate has erupted over the decision. Credit: Getty Images

“All I can tell you that as the rule currently is, if the head hits the ground in this manner - it will be a free kick.

“Rightly or wrongly, the rule puts the onus on the tackler to avoid that happening.”

Blakey was assessed for concussion and subbed out of the game, but coach John Longmire later revealed the dashing defender had passed the concussion test.

He said the reason he decided to sub out Blakey was due to the time he had to sit out while going through the HIA protocol (at least 15 minutes), combined with the fact that Blakey had carried a toe injury into the match.

Blakey had also received a knock earlier and seemed restricted in his movement. It is unclear if he will play next week.

Now, however, the Saints are sweating on the AFL’s match review of the tackle and the possibility that Butler will be suspended.

“Sometimes you have got to respect the conditions and how difficult it is. That ball is like soap, then you’ve got these bodies flying around,” Saints coach Ross Lyon said after the game.

Ross Lyon has defended his player. Credit: AAP

AFL legend Jason Dunstall said he would be horrified if Butler copped a ban.

“I’d be really concerned with where the game’s going if he gets rubbed out for that tackle. I’d be horrified,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

“I mean, he steps inside, he turns side on so he’s not going to keep his balance ... I thought Dan Butler was brilliant the way he stayed in the hunt, because it looked like he was out and he just kept in there ... And eventually, he makes the tackle, momentum takes him to ground.

“He’s got no option here. I don’t know.

“I think if you ask him to do anything other than what he did, it’s impossible. He’s a small bloke, you think he’s going to just hold him when they’re running at that pace? I don’t get what the options are there, other than not tackling.”

St Kilda will face Richmond at the MCG on Saturday night.

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- With AAP