World news – The legend Jonathan Brown teases AFL with the « ridiculous » rule that has been « taken advantage of ».

Footy legend Jonathan Brown brought a flamethrower to the AFL’s controversial medical substitution rule, suggesting it has already been bent.

AFL: Richmond may have started beating Carlton, a third premier League in a row, but things didn’t go smoothly for the Tigers after main defender David Astbury was reported.

Footy legend Jonathan Brown has raised concerns that the AFL’s controversial change to the AFL’s medical substitution rules is already a game in the season was abused.

On a night when speculation about the rule and how it was used by Carlton and Richmond to get fresh legs on the field in the second half, Brown was the highest-profile star, the shared his skepticism that teams will play within the rules.

Colleagues from Brown and Fox Footy, Garry Lyon and Nick Riewoldt, all asked how the rule would be when Richmond won between 15.15 (105) and 11.14 (80) was applied and openly mocked how easy it is to take advantage of the rule.

The new rule, introduced at the last minute this week, allows clubs to have a 23rd player only as Use medical replacement if a teammate suffers a serious injury as determined by the club’s doctor.

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Brown took it one step further, suggesting that Carlton and Richmond may have already completely broken it.

The rule raised eyebrows after half time when Carlton Jack Silvagni sat on the bench for the first time after apparently suffering a shoulder injury and was replaced by Oscar McDonald.

Medical sub-player Jack Ross of the Tigers takes off his warm-up jacket on the bench. Source: Getty Images

The Tigers followed by removing Nick Vlastuin from the game to replace Jack Ross.

Brown said the circumstances of the substitutions left the door open for fans to accuse the clubs of Breaking the rules by boiling off injuries that didn’t exist.

« As if the coaches didn’t take advantage of this rule. » Brown told Fox Footy after the game.

« This is unbelievable. I feel for the doctors. I already feel for both doctors. Especially the Richmond doctor.

Riewoldt said with a grin that the rule means, that « it’s not difficult for clubs to find an injury ».

He also said it was « ridiculous » that substitute players should be given a high profile appearance even if they didn’t hit the ground.

Lyon also suggested that Richmond had been trying to figure out a way to get Ross on the field.

« You’re just wondering if you’re sitting in the coaching box and saying, » Hey, Oscar McDonald has here a big impact. Let’s make ours. We don’t have any injuries so let’s find one, « he said.

The rule allows a club to replace an injured player only if the club doctor » reasonably determines  » that the injury precludes the player from playing a football game for the next 12 days If a player is affected, the new rule requires him to take a mandatory 12-day break from football.

Tiger coach Damien Hardwick said in his post-game press conference that he was using it of the medical sub satisfied during the game.

« I know people will jump up and down over it … I don’t think it will make a difference if there is another player around, » said he.

« Trainers can no doubt take advantage of it. I think the AFL covers a bit. I think they have increased the game back to 20 minutes, reduced the swaps and are concerned about the length of the games.

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