If the afl got wise and wanted to stamp out players trying to hurt injured players they should of given baker 3 weeks and let johnson off.
Do you think taggers / pests would stop doing it if they realised a smack in the mouth / head is acceptable for their efforts?

Watto,
Thanks for the response.  My point although crudely made was if the afl was to allow "sufficient force" retaliation do you think clubs would persist with annoying pesty non performing players.

Example 1: Ballantyne pulls Harry Obrien's hair, Harry whacks him in the schnozz.
Verdict - Ballantyne one week Harry O no charge.
Result - Ballantyne never pulls hair again.

Example 2: Baker whacks Johnsons broken hand, Johnson elbows Bakers face
Verdict - Baker 3 Johnson no charge
Result - Baker is very careful in the future of his tagging tactics and relies solely on his pinpoint point disposal accuracy and ball winning skills! (crowd laugh simultaneously)

This would probably stop young blokes growing up thinking that they can annoy players into retaliation then receive any easy cheap free, usually resulting in a goal and then running around like they are god's gift to aussie rules. 

Could you imagine any of these players doing this 10 - 20 years ago with the likes of Brereton and  Rhys - Jones running around.

If the AFL abhors those days of football and the physical and sometimes dirty nature of their  game that would not be accepted today by soccer-moms in the community, then why do the videos, i.e biffs, bumps and brawls, continue to be some of the highest selling DVDs that relate to our great game. play

Anyway, that's my opinion and personally I wouldn't be upset if those pesty players got what they deserved.