AFL legend Jason Dunstall has questioned the decision to reduce Izak Rankine's homophobic slur suspension based on the player's mental health.
Rankine was given a four-match ban for making the derogatory comment during Adelaide's loss to Collingwood last week - with a five-game suspension originally floated as punishment.
It means that the Crows star's season is not over as he could play in the grand final, providing Adelaide lose their first final and then qualify for the decider.
When it was explained by journalist Jon Ralph that Rankine's ban was reduced on mental health grounds, Dunstall was not sure that this factor should used to figure out a punishment.
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“I’m about as confused as I could possibly be,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.
“I regard myself as at least a semi-intelligent man. I don’t know how compelling medical evidence gets you from five weeks down to four, and if we’re talking about mental health, by what metric, measurement scale are we saying that equates to one week. I don’t understand, I’m confused. Can someone explain it to me?”
Ralph then went on to explain Adelaide's defence, revealing they claimed 'triggers' were the reason for Rankine's behaviour.
"So what Adelaide would say is that there were certain triggers in regards to this, that he was triggered because being knocked out by Dan Houston last winter last year, that was one of the factors," Ralph said.
"They would say that it’s not just the mental health card, and they would believe that it’s not setting a worry.
"I think maybe that’s what worries you (Dunstall). Any player who is now suspended for four or six or eight weeks says, look, I’m battling with my mental health, and I wonder what this might do for me, and so give me a discount on that penalty."