Tuesday's Questions and Answers (22.09.2026)

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Before this, there's this.

As you celebrate the game, take a deeper look at its roots. The people grow in the grass, bathe in the lots, weld in the goal posts, inspecting every football. The hardworking people that make every Sunday possible. Carhartt is proud to outfit the crews behind the game. Visit carhartt.com/join the trades to learn more.

SPEAKER_2 (0:30)

This Friday, return to theaters for Avengers Endgame Encore. I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one. Reassemble the team.

SPEAKER_3 (0:40)

Six zones, three teams, one shot.

SPEAKER_2 (0:44)

Relive the experience.

SPEAKER_3 (0:46)

We messed with time. Time tends to mess back.

SPEAKER_2 (0:49)

The story continues.

SPEAKER_3 (0:50)

Tony, this is the second chance.

SPEAKER_2 (0:52)

Don't miss Marvel Studios Avengers Endgame Encore. Early theaters Friday. Get tickets now. Rated PG-13. Maybe inappropriate for children under 13

Mark Duffield (1:08)

Time for some questions and answers. Paul Heath has joined me in the studio. Heta.

Paul Heath (1:12)

Duff, good morning.

Mark Duffield (1:13)

Good morning.

Paul Heath (1:14)

I've got a bit of irony stuff to lean on first.

Mark Duffield (1:17)

Irony.

Paul Heath (1:18)

Yeah, irony.

Mark Duffield (1:20)

Nick Dacos.

Paul Heath (1:20)

Trying to get into a bit of Grant Cone.

Mark Duffield (1:22)

Shane Neal.

Paul Heath (1:23)

Yeah.

Granny's saying, Duff, you don't think Lockie should play a grand final for that. The vision is poor, just about as poor as your judgment. Seriously, get a grip. And the next one says, come on, Kim. Kim. I don't know who Kim is. Why would you want someone to miss a grand final for something that's inconclusive and blurry? This is why the game has turned to crap. Meteor outlets are ruining the game. John from Zandicot.

That's Johnny there. So I sent that one through.

Mark Duffield (1:45)

Shooting the messenger. Yeah. Through the heart.

Paul Heath (1:47)

Look, you're not out here saying he shouldn't play the grand final. That's never what it's been.

Mark Duffield (1:52)

No, I am. I'm saying he shouldn't play in the grand final. I'm not saying I care that much, but I'm a bit like Jonathan Horne. I've been so totally desensitised to the AFL fluffing its lines when it comes to upholding its rules with any consistency and integrity.

With something like this, I just shrug my shoulders and go, oh yeah, whatever. It wouldn't surprise me if they hold firm on the suspension, and it wouldn't surprise me if they overturn it and allow them to play in the grand final. If they do, then that will mean they're a stronger team at stoppage, and they're probably slightly more vulnerable on counterattack. So it's sort of, Freeman will probably, if you strapped him into a lie detector and said, would you prefer to play Brisbane with or without Lockie Neal, I think the only correct answer would be, oh, without. But I also think they'll probably see opportunity if Lockie Neal plays.

Paul Heath (2:46)

Swings around abouts.

Mark Duffield (2:48)

Yeah, not quite swings around about, but maybe one swing, two roundabouts. Swing to the guts and roundabouts. But look, to all the people who are talking about the footage, the footage shows clearly that the elbow is cocked, which means it's not a swinging arm, which you do with a straight arm. The footage shows enough to show that the fist is clenched, which means that elbow cocked fist clench means blow, and person going to ground means medium contact. So that leaves exceptional and compelling circumstances. And I think one of the people that texted through, it might have been Frank, I think, which we might get to at some point, talked about that, the magnitude of the game. But as I said to Will Faulkner, arguing that he shouldn't miss a grand final for that is like arguing that they shouldn't have paid the holding the ball against Impey because it was the last minute of a preliminary final, and it was going to decide the outcome. When you do that, you're basically saying, we don't need rules, we'll just make it up as we go along, and we'll try and figure something that doesn't hurt anyone's feelings.

You know, this is why you have rules. This is why Greg Swann said, blokes were getting belted in the guts all the time in footy, and Greg Swann wanted to stamp it out. So this is why he said, you punch someone in the guts, you get one week. Now, I think it was Will said, nine from nine this year. That's what's happened. This is off the ball.

So it's very hard to argue exceptional and compelling circumstances referring to a person's character and good record for an off the ball incident, as opposed to Pendlebury, which I didn't agree with either, by the way, because again, I come back to, you either have rules or you don't.