Fiery Blue Mitch Robinson must adjust to the rules, his coach says
CARLTON coach Mick Malthouse will counsel Mitch Robinson, imploring the hard-nut midfielder to curb some elements of his natural aggression.
Robinson on Tuesday accepted a two-match ban for a high bump on Leigh Adams, his third suspension of the season.
"It's something we have to address. The club want him playing football, the supporters want him to play," Malthouse told radio station FIVEaa.
"He has to adjust, the competition isn't going to adjust for him.
"He has to adjust to what the rules are.
"We'll be addressing that over the next few weeks, he's got time to think about it - put it that way."
Robinson was suspended for the third time this year for his bump on North Melbourne's Leigh Adams last Friday night.
Playing his first game back after a two-match suspension for striking Collingwood's Taylor Adams in round 15, Robinson was reported for engaging in rough conduct against Adams in the first quarter.
The MRP assessed Robinson's bump on Adams as a level two offence (225 points) based on it being negligent, medium impact and involving high contact.
Robinson could not reduce his two-match ban with an early plea given a poor recent record that also includes a one-match suspension for striking St Kilda's Jack Newnes in round eight this season.
The MRP charged Adams with a level two striking offence against Carlton's Simon White during the first quarter of the Blues' win, but the Roo forward escaped with a reprimand and 70.31 carryover points by entering an early guilty plea.
His strike was assessed as intentional, low impact and involving body contact.
The MRP assessed three other incidents from the opening weekend of the round 18 fixture, but did not make any other reports.
The match-day report against Port Adelaide's Jay Schulz for striking Melbourne's Lynden Dunn was thrown out after the MRP ruled Schulz's blow was not of sufficient force.
A bump by Port Adelaide's Paul Stewart on Melbourne captain Nathan Jones in the first quarter of Sunday's match at the Adelaide Oval was ruled to have been caused by circumstances outside Stewart's control.
Contact between Melbourne's Bernie Vince and Port Adelaide's Kane Cornes in the second quarter was ruled by the MRP to be insufficient to constitute a reportable offence.
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